Rescue Me
by Jezek10
Summary: "You killed my brother!" Angelina hissed. "Many men have lost their lives under my reign, dear," the Evil Queen quipped with a devilish smirk. "This is different," Angelina shook her head. "My brother died before you became queen." "Is that so?" Regina sneered. "And what was your brother's name?" A long pause. "Daniel." And Regina froze. Regina/ OC mentor fic.
1. Chapter 1: Pilot

_Author's Note: I have just recently discovered Once Upon a Time and, I gotta say, I'm HOOKED! Big time! And this hiatus is KILLING me. I don't know how I'm going to handle dealing with the season finale in May. So, to keep myself occupied, and to (hopefully) entertain all of my fellow Evil Regals, I'm creating a story where someone ACTUALLY UNDERSTANDS REGINA. Don't even get me started on this topic. I just want Regina to have someone to count and rely on. Is that too much to ask?! Anyways... this is kind of a head canon thing that will take place all throughout the episodes and seasons. All I've done is add a new character who could, potentially, change the course of things to come. I guess that just depends on whether I like where the writers of the show take the plot in the future. But enough rambling... _

**Disclaimer: I don't own OUAT nor do I own the characters and places presented within the show. That all is courtesy of Disney, ABC, and, of course, Kitsis and Horowitz. Thinking me of owning this fabulous idea would be much to big a compliment for me to handle. So please don't do it. **

Lina waited patiently for her brother, Henry Mills, to arrive at the bench that they always met at after Henry was released from school. Today, Henry had a session with Doctor Archie Hopper, the town therapist, directly after school. It was Lina's job to make sure Henry made it there and back home safely. But then again, it was always Lina's job to take care of Henry whenever their mother wasn't around. Which is why Regina Mills, mayor of the town of Storybrooke, partially blamed Lina for the sudden obsession Henry had developed with his newly found book of fairytales. Regina hadn't actually said it, but Lina could tell that her mother disapproved of Lina's lack of involvement to stop Henry's overactive imagination when it came to the fairytales. It had gotten to the point where Henry actually believed that each and every person in Storybrooke was a character from one of the fairytales presented in the book. Hence the sessions with Archie, or should she say Jiminy Cricket (according to Henry)?

However ridiculous it sounded, Lina didn't dare tell Regina, nor anyone, about Henry's theories of fairytale nonsense. It was already bad enough that he hauled that book around with him everywhere he went. It would only make it worse if everyone knew that he believed that the book was truth rather than fiction. But come to think of it, Lina didn't think that anyone knew of the book itself apart from she and Henry. Actually, she _knew_ their mom hadn't seen it, otherwise the book would've been snatched away a long time ago.

Lina glanced at her wristwatch. 4:15. Henry should've been out by now. Didn't he remember that he had a session at 4:30? Lina looked around but couldn't spot Henry. She sighed, raised herself to her feet, and headed to the school entrance. He probably had gotten held up talking to his teacher, Miss Mary Margret.

As Lina strutted to the doors, she noticed many people shy out of her way. There were just as many perks as there were drawbacks to being the mayor's daughter. First off, no one messed with Lina in fear of upsetting the mayor. But Lina still wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Sure, Lina didn't have many friends because of it, but it honestly didn't bother her in the slightest. Lina considered herself a loner anyways. If anything, being the mayor's daughter allowed her to dress the part it entailed, overdramatizing her posture, clothing, hair and even makeup to be more intimidating and regal.

There were times that Lina enjoyed the effect she had on people. She was tall, pretty and walked with a confidence that only came with being the mayor's kid. Yet, technically speaking, Lina wasn't Regina Mills' daughter. Not by blood. Regina had taken Lina in just as she had Henry a few years after Lina had lived with her. Initially, Lina had been offended with the idea of another child living under the same roof, but she had soon warmed to the idea upon observing how badly Regina had longed to raise a child of her own. And Lina could relate to that. After all, Regina had asked Lina to live with her when Lina was a teenager. All the joys of raising a baby were never experienced, hence the adoption of Henry.

Lina was remembering how thrilled her mother had been when holding the baby for the first time, announcing that his name will be Henry, when she approached Miss Margret's room. She paused for a second before cautiously entering the room.

Lina was prepared to see Henry sitting at Miss Margret's side at her desk, and was surprised to find Mary Margret sitting solo behind her desk, absorbed in a stack of lesson plans and student work. She didn't even look up from her work, oblivious to Lina's presence. With a small smirk at Mary's dedication, Lina approached her desk.

"Miss Margret?" Lina gently spoke to draw Mary Margret out of her concentration. Miss Margret jumped and looked up, her piercing green eyes locking with Lina's.

"I'm sorry," Lina apologized quickly. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"Oh, no," Mary Margret brushed aside her work hastily. "It's quite alright. I didn't hear you come in." She smiled genuinely at Lina with a sincerity that was so sickeningly sweet that Lina almost wanted to gag. This woman was too angelic for her own good. However, Lina bit her tongue and met the woman's smile.

"What can I do for you, Lina?" Miss Margret asked, brushing a few strands of her short, dark hair away from her snow, pale face.

"Have you seen Henry?" Lina responded with her own question.

"Ah, no," Mary Margret's brows furrowed. "He left as soon as class was dismissed."

A vague sense of worry settled into the pit of Lina's stomach. "I didn't see him outside," she mumbled beneath her breath, stuffing her hands into her coat pockets. "Are you sure he didn't linger around?"

"Not that I'm aware of," Mary answered, worry creeping into the tone of her voice.

"Crap," Lina muttered lowly to herself.

"Do you want me to help you look for him?" Miss Margret asked, concern lacquered in her voice.

"Ah, no. No," Lina reassured, mind whirling. "I'm sure he's already with Archie," she added, although she wasn't completely convinced.

Apparently neither was Mary Margret. "Are you sure?" she asked skeptically. "I can come with you if you aren't."

"No, no!" Lina spoke as she rushed out of room. "I won't need your assistance. But thank you anyway!" And before Mary Margret could say another word, Lina was gone, rushing to the town square.

"Henry, you better be with Archie," she growled as she began jogging.

However, as it always went in Lina Mills' life, things had to get more complicated.

"No, I'm sorry Lina, but Henry isn't here," Archie told Lina as she stood in the door frame of his office.

"Dammit, Henry," Lina thought as she bit her lip in borderline panic.

"I was expecting him, though," Archie added readjusting his glasses. "I was under the impression that we had a session today."

"If I can find him, you do," Lina scoffed in frustration. "Can you do me a favor?"

"Well, sure, Lina," Archie shrugged.

"If you see my mom in the next couple of hours, could you not mention this to her?"

Archie hesitated before answering. He was about to go on about how honesty was the best policy when he caught the pleading look in Lina's crystal blue eyes. She was desperate, and Archie didn't have the heart to deny her of a simple reassurance.

"Sure," Archie sighed in resign. "I won't say anything."

Lina sighed with relief and pulled Archie into a thankful hug. "Thank you!" And before Archie could answer with a flabbergasted "You're welcome," Lina had already left the building.

Lina spent the next hour rushing about town, searching anywhere and everywhere for Henry. She wasn't having any luck. All of the usual places Henry would be were vacant of his presence. Lina was on the verge of panic. Henry had never done this before. If Lina didn't find Henry soon, Regina was going to _kill_ her.

Lina made a split decision to go back inside Granny's, a diner that anyone and everyone in Storybrooke had been to at some point in time, and ordered a hot chocolate to regroup. She let the liquid scald her throat and tongue, downing the drink as an adult would a shot of whiskey. Lina could feel a major migraine coming on. It was getting to the point where Lina would have to do one of two things. Tell her mom, or inform the authorities. Either way, her mother would be informed of Henry's disappearance. Regina was going to flat out die.

Then there was always the possibility that Henry had gone home to see their mother. Lina could be freaking out over nothing while Henry and Regina were at home, baking apple turnovers and pies, waiting for Lina to come home. But Lina doubted it. HIGHLY doubted it. Henry had been very distant and borderline hostile to their mom ever since he had received that book from an unknown source. Lina had her theories of how he had gotten it, Mary Margret being at the top of the list. But it still didn't stop the arising questions Lina had of what implications of Regina there supposedly were within the binds of the book. Maybe Lina should talk to Henry about what he had read. He would open up to her if she took the initiative, right?

"Lina?" a silky smooth voice spoke behind her, breaking Lina out of her internal rampage. Lina's ears perked and her face fell as she deciphered the distinct, recognizable voice that most feared to hear speak their name. _Speak of the devil..._

Lina put on a facade as quick as a finger snap, and turned with an expression of surprise. "Mom?" Regina Mills stood at Lina's side, looking intimidating and beautiful as ever. "What are you doing here?"

"I think that I should be the one asking the questions," Regina said sternly, taking a seat opposite of Lina in the booth she occupied. "Where's Henry?"

Lina had to restrain herself from gulping. Regina had a way of cutting straight to the throat. But, unbeknownst to her, Lina was the only person Regina could never distinguish a lie from. So, Regina had no idea that Lina was lying and buzzing on the inside when she spoke her next set of words.

"He's with Archie. Where else?" Lina shrugged, suppressing her nerves as she took another swig of her hot chocolate.

Regina frowned and looked at her wristwatch. "Shouldn't he be getting out about now?"

"Usually, yes," Lina nodded. "But we got there a bit late today. He won't be getting out for at least another thirty minutes." _Giving me thirty minutes of looking for Henry. _

"Why were you late?" Regina demanded.

"Henry and I got caught up talking to Miss Margret about Henry's progress," Lina responded quickly. She had briefly thought about saying only Henry was speaking to Mary Margret, but figured that she wouldn't throw him under the bus by himself.

Regina's nostrils momentarily flared and her eyes narrowed. It was no secret that Regina hated Mary Margret with a passion, but for what no one knew. As far as everyone was concerned, Mary Margret had never done anything to Regina, apart from take the crap she threw at her constantly.

"I was going to go get ingredients to make Lasagna," Regina ignored Lina's last explanation. "As soon as Henry's finished, come straight home."

"Absolutely," Lina gave a thumbs up to indicate she understood.

Regina eyed Lina for a few seconds before giving a curt nod and standing up to leave. She stroked Lina's head lovingly before departing from Granny's. As soon as Lina heard the door close, she released a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding. She waited a few minutes before rushing out of the diner. When the cold, frigid air bit at her skin, she began walking at a quicker pace, determined to find Henry. If only she had known that he was miles away, as determined as Lina to find someone by the name of Emma Swan...

_Later..._

Lina stood before her home, a sinking feeling pulling at her gut. It was almost dark outside, and she could feel the anxiety tingling beneath her skin and the fear making her face flush. Lina hadn't found Henry, and she had looked everywhere, even venturing into Mr. Gold's shop in the off chance that Henry would actually be there. She was worried of what Regina would do, think and say, but she was more concerned for Henry's safety. Her desire to keep her brother out of harm's way was what drove her to take the steps up to the door and enter the threshold of what was sure to be a releasing of hell.

As soon as she entered through the door, she wanted to run back out. But perseverance drove her on. _I have to make sure Henry's safe. I have to tell mom. _

The aroma of tomato sauce, cheese, garlic and other Italian spices drove Lina to go to the kitchen. Sure enough, there stood Regina, bustling away in an apron as she hurriedly tried to put a meal together.

"Dinner's almost ready," she announced as she tossed the side salad she was preparing with some tongs. Lina leaned against the door frame, watching her mom make dinner. It was at times like this that Regina looked normal and not so superhuman. It was at times like this that Lina wished the townspeople could see her mom in the kitchen, completing daily chores just like everyone else. Maybe they wouldn't see her as solely the bitch mayor of Storybrooke, but as a normal person who just wanted a sense of peacefulness in her life. Lina wished with all her heart that she didn't have to break the news to her mother, shattering whatever was left of the normalcy in her life, but she had no choice.

"I don't think that should be your biggest concern right now."

Regina stopped what she was doing and looked at Lina for the first time since she'd entered the room. "Why? What's wrong? Where's -?" Regina paused upon looking at Lina's face. Lina hadn't even tried to put up a steely front. She was scared and didn't even try to hide it.

"Angelina," Regina adopted a threatening voice and Lina cringed. Regina only used her full name when she was really angry or concerned. "Where's Henry?" she spoke as her voice threatened to crack.

Lina held Regina's worried gaze with unshed tears. "He's missing."

"But, he was just with Doctor Hopper. How far could he have gone?" Regina shook her head, denying what Lina was saying. Lina darted her eyes guiltily and massaged her temple in response. Regina caught on quickly. "You lied to me," she accused with so much betrayal in her voice that it was amazing Lina didn't start crying then and there.

"Why didn't you call the sheriff's station?" Regina's raised her voice and strode over to Lina, all thoughts of preparing dinner forgotten.

"I thought I could find him," Lina protested.

"You were at the diner, drinking hot chocolate, without a care in the world, not at all concerned for Henry's well-being," Regina accused.

"Where do you think I've been this whole time?!" Lina cried. "I went to Granny's to regroup! Trying to figure out where he could be!"

"How long have you known he's missing?" Regina demanded, pinching the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger.

"I haven't seen him since this morning. I couldn't find him after school."

"Angelina, you promised me you would take care of him when I'm not around," Regina's forehead creased and her eyes held a sorrowful gaze.

"And I've never broken that promise until now!"

"Yet, after all I've done for you-" Regina continued.

"Please don't play the guilt card on me! I already feel bad enough as it is," Lina interrupted, disgusted that Regina would even stoop that low. "And, if I recall correctly, it was _you _who asked _me _to live here! Not the other way around!" Regina opened her mouth to say something, then closed it abruptly. If looks could kill, the glare Regina gave Lina in that moment would have slaughtered her on the spot.

"Look," Lina said more calmly, unsuccessfully trying to diffuse the tension. "We're wasting time. You should call Sheriff Graham and tell him what happened."

Regina, still flustered at Lina's outburst, clenched her jaw and threw off her apron in a rush. She didn't so much as acknowledge Lina as she brushed past her. Lina sighed and hurried after her mom. The two didn't notice nor care that the lasagna was burning as they dialed the sheriff's office.

_Hours later..._

Angelina sat quietly on the living room couch, nervously bouncing her legs up and down as she worried. Sheriff Graham had arrived shortly after Regina had contacted him. He had asked Lina a series of questions, mainly pertaining to when and where she had searched for Henry. Graham had contacted some authorities in surrounding areas in an attempt to locate Henry, but they had run into a dead end.

Regina was now pacing about the room, on the verge of a mental breakdown. She still hadn't said a word to Lina since their altercation. In many ways, Lina felt one hundred percent responsible for everything that had transpired over the past few hours. But the thing she felt the most guilty about, was Regina's mental state.

"Now, where was the last place you saw Henry?" Graham asked for the umpteenth time.

"At the bus stop on his way to school," Lina replied as if she was a recording on repeat.

"Are you sure he made it there?" Graham continued.

"To school? Yes. His teacher said that he left in a hurry as soon as class was released," Lina explained.

"So it can be assumed that he knew what he was doing when he left town," Graham concluded.

Regina continued to pace, a hand over her mouth as she strained to keep her composure. Graham continued to take notes and write a report. Lina continued to stare into space, willing the conflicting emotions within herself to correspond.

"Did you hear that?" Regina spoke suddenly. Lina and Graham's heads snapped up just in time to see Regina rushing out of the living room to the front door. Lina and Graham shared a look of uncertainty before hurrying after her.

Regina threw open the door in a haste, and almost collapsed when she spotted her son standing on the walkway leading to the front door. Lina caught up shortly after, and instantly felt a huge wave of relief overcome her. She beamed as a few unwanted tears of joy slipped down her cheeks.

Regina rushed to Henry, overcome with emotion and the need to embrace him. "Henry!" she exclaimed as she ran to meet him. As Regina closed him into a hug, she sighed his name in relief. "Henry." A warm feeling filled her heart and compelled her to ask many questions. "Are you ok? Where have you been? What happened?" she pulled back and held his shoulders, concerned and joyous all in one.

However, Henry's answer put a damper on things. "I found my real mom!" he cried indignantly. It was then that Regina and Lina noticed another woman standing nearby Henry. A tall, blonde, attractive looking woman who looked on at the scene with uncertainty and hesitation. Releasing himself from his adoptive mother's grip, Henry jerked away from Regina and ran through the door, roughly pushing past Graham and Lina. He swept upstairs to his room without another word.

A moment of silence between the remaining ensued.

Lina decided to depart the awkward situation and pursue Henry. When she reached his door, she didn't even bother knocking.

"Henry!" Lina called in exasperation as she barged through the door. She calmed a bit upon seeing him slumped over his bed in exhaustion. "Ok, first off," Lina said as she crashed onto the bed beside him. "Welcome Home. Second of all, was that really necessary?" Lina cried angrily in reference to Henry's outburst. "Mom has already dealt with a tongue lashing from me today. Adding you on top of it is pushing it." Henry sat in silence, acting indifferent to Lina's words, as if they were going in one ear and out the other. "And third of all," Lina's voice raised, infuriated, "do you know how much trouble you got me in this evening?! Mom was so angry with me. God, I've never seen her so worried..."

"I'm sorry," Henry finally relented. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"You should have thought of that before you ran off," Lina snapped.

"Knock Knock," another voice spoke from the doorway. Both Lina and Henry jumped at the sight of Sheriff Graham standing at Henry's door clad in the uniform and all. "Everything ok up here?"

"Yeah! Fine," Lina dismissed, annoyed at the interruption.

Graham smiled thinly and nodded at Henry. "You gave us quite the scare. Next time, let us know what you're up to," he half joked.

Henry nodded sullenly in agreeance. Graham looked back and forth between Lina and Henry, then bowed his head.

"I best be heading out," he announced. "Call me if you need me."

"Will do," Lina smiled wryly. "Thank you, Sheriff."

Lina waited until she heard footsteps going downstairs before speaking again. "Mind telling me where you've been?" she asked, returning her attention to her brother.

"Boston," Henry shrugged as if it was no big deal.

"You went all the way to Boston on your own?!" Lina exclaimed. Henry nodded slowly. Lina debated the idea for a few seconds. She considered chastising him for all the danger he put himself in, but quickly figured that he would get enough of that from Regina. Instead, she playfully nudged Henry in the shoulder and smiled. "Nice!"

Henry looked at Lina for the first time since she'd been in his room and grinned widely, a few giggles escaping his lips. "Was mom really worried?" he asked skeptically.

"Of course!" Lina responded defensively. "You should've seen her. She was on the verge of a mental breakdown." Lina watched as Henry absorbed that information.

"Is that woman down there really your birth mother?" Lina questioned curiously.

Henry nodded with more enthusiasm than Lina had ever seen him have. "Yep," he popped the 'p' for added emphasis.

"How'd you manage that?" Lina continued, but was interrupted.

"Angelina," Regina spoke from Henry's doorway, arms crossed and head tilted to one side. "I suggest the both of you get to bed. It's late and you both have school tomorrow."

"_How did I not hear her coming? I swear that woman is as stealthy as a cat," _Lina thought to herself.

"Yeah, alright," she responded aloud with a small smile at Henry. "See you in the morning, kid," she ruffled his hair playfully.

"Hey," Henry giggled, pushing her hand off.

"Sleep tight, squirt," Lina chuckled. She left Henry's room, sweeping past Regina and crept to her own room.

Shutting the door behind her, she released the biggest sigh she ever had in her life. Apart from being in the dog house with Regina, Henry was safe. At least Henry didn't have to endure their mother's wrath alone. Regina was just as upset, if not more upset, with Angelina. But Lina couldn't think about that now. That was a problem for tomorrow. Now, the only thing Lina was concerned about was sleep. She didn't even feel her head hit the pillows when she crashed onto her mattress.

_Lina. Regina. Henry. Lina. Regina. Henry. Lina. Regina. Henry. _

_"Do you always make an effort to visit your prisoners, your majesty?" Angelina smiled wryly in spite of herself. She had known that the Queen had been lurking around the corner for some time now watching and calculating. She just hadn't made her presence known. _

_Regina, instead of acting surprised that the girl had known she had been there the whole time, casually emerged from the darkness of the dungeon and replied coolly, "Only those worth interest to me."_

_"And what interest am I to you?" Angelina made eye contact with the piercing brown eyes of the Evil Queen. _

_"I haven't decided yet," the regal Queen admitted with a small smirk. "You invaded my palace, killed or snuck past all of my armed guards, and succeeded in raiding my chambers with the single intent to kill me. AND, you did all of this alone," the queen paced about. She neared closer to the cell keeping Angelina locked up and eased her face closer to the bars. "What could have driven you to do this?" she smiled in semi-admiration. _

_"You killed my brother," Angelina hissed with so much venom that Regina had to restrain herself from laughing with amusement. _

_"Ah, yes! Revenge!" she smiled. "Revenge is a very powerful thing, filled with rage, passion and determination. I, for one, understand exactly how you feel."_

_"Then you'll understand why I'm not leaving without carving your heart out of your chest," Angelina retorted. She neared the bars of the cage and clutched onto them with a tight grip. "I will destroy you if it's the last thing I do," she growled. _

_Regina's smile wiped off her face in an instant and was replaced with a glare that had so much intensity that it could kill. Angelina, however, met her stare with equal ferocity. _

_"I know where I recognize you from," Regina stated after a brief period of silence._

_"Is that so?" Angelina played dumb. _

_"Yes," Regina mused. _

_"Care to enlighten me?" _

_The Evil Queen eyed Angelina curiously before speaking. "That day all those years ago, shortly after my marriage to the King, Snow White brought a young common girl to the castle to dine at the royal table with us. That was you." It wasn't a question nor an accusation, just stating a simple fact. And Angelina didn't deny it. "You were planning this even then, weren't you?" she continued, searching Angelina's eyes with a desperate expression. "You hold the same look in your eyes that you did when you gazed upon me as a mere adolescent child." _

_"Regardless of what you think," Angelina snapped. "No; I wasn't initially planning this. Unlike you, I wasn't born with evil intentions lodged in my heart." _

_"Ah, my dear," the Queen crooned. "You have much to learn about the ways of the world." She leaned forward so that her face was only inches away from Angelina's. "Evil isn't born," she whispered in her ear, sending shivers down Angelina's spine. "It's made."_

_"Then what drove you to kill my brother?" Angelina retorted. _

_The Queen smirked softly, without as much enthusiasm as before. "Many men have lost their lives under my reign, dear. Your brother just happened to fall during my rise." _

_"That's where you're wrong," Angelina spoke firmly, but with a sense of vulnerability. "This is different." _

_For once, the Queen had nothing to say other than, "How so?" _

_"My brother died before you became queen." _

_"Is that so?" Regina sneered, turning away from the young girl. "And what was your brother's name?" she called over her shoulder while pursing her lips. _

_Angelina took a deep breath before speaking his name. It never ceased to amaze her how hard it was to utter these two syllables. And while she tried to keep her voice steady and strong, it came out in a choked sigh. _

_"Daniel. Your stable boy." _

_Regina froze dead in her tracks, much to Angelina's amazement. Angelina watched curiously as the Queen slowly arched her neck to glance at her. The Queen's facial expression was contorted, not in anger or fear, but in despair. Her eyes glistened in the torchlight as her forehead creased after given the painful reminder of her true love's murder. A slaughter not committed by her own hand, but by her mother's. Regina's eyes locked with that of the young girl's. Angelina was shocked to say the least at the queen's reaction. The Queen looked sorrowful and vulnerable. It didn't suit her very well, but made her all the more human. But before Angelina could ask her another question, or even speak, the Queen adopted an indifferent expression and stormed out of the dungeon without another word, leaving Angelina with a foreboding feeling that she may have just witnessed a piece of Regina's heart flare to life._

_Lina. Regina. Henry. Lina. Regina. Henry. Lina. Regina. Henry. _

Lina shot out of bed without a warning. Her head felt like there were sharp pins jabbing into her brain. What the hell woke her up? Blinking the blurry sleepiness from her vision, Lina caught sight of a shadow moving swiftly, right outside her doorway. Hauling herself up, she chased after the unknown presence. She peered outside her room to see Henry creeping down the stairs as quietly as he could.

"Henry!" Lina hissed, and Henry jumped. "Where're you going?"

"Out," Henry whispered, treading over a few more steps.

Lina rolled her eyes when she realized that it was only the early hours of morning. The sun hadn't even appeared and Henry was leaving! "Well hold on! I'm coming with you," Lina spoke.

Henry stopped dead in his tracks and turned to face Lina full on. "Really? You aren't going to tell mom?"

"Are you serious?" Lina scoffed. "We're both in the dog house, remember?" Henry grinned widely and shrugged in agreeance. "Besides," Lina added. "I have a Calculus test today that I haven't even studied for. I'd much rather spend time with you. Now hang on. Let me grab my coat."

And with that, side by side, brother and sister, Lina and Henry snuck out of their home.

_Soon after..._

Lina stood atop Henry's secret playhouse/ castle, watching the waves roll over each other in the distant waters and crash onto the sand as the sun peered over the horizon.

"This is awesome!" Lina laughed joyously. "Why haven't you told me about this place before? It's like a secret fort!"

"Honestly?" Henry stood beside Lina and leaned over the railing. "I was afraid you'd tell mom. You know how she freaks out over my safety..."

"Oh believe me when I say I do," Lina bit her lip and rolled her eyes. "Last night was the perfect example." Henry sat in a reflective silence whilst the two just stood and enjoyed each other's company.

"Guess what I got?" Henry spoke excitedly, running over to his backpack to retrieve something from it. He pulled out two packages of Starburst candies from the outer pocket.

"No way!" Lina exclaimed as she snatched one of the packages from Henry's grasp. "I used to sneak these to you all the time when you were younger!"

"I know," Henry nodded enthusiastically. "That's why I got them."

Lina grinned widely, quickly and effectively unwrapping a tightly packaged red one before popping it into her mouth. "I forgot how good these were," Lina hummed. "God, why does mom have to be so strict on what we eat?"

Henry and Lina continued to stand and chew on the sweet, savoring candies, once again falling into a fit of silence, consumed by the need to devour the sugar-filled taffy.

"So..." Lina started awkwardly, after swallowing her last taffy candy. "You think that everyone in Storybrooke are fairytale characters?"

"Oh I don't think. I know," Henry quipped cockily.

"Okay," Lina drawled. "So, if that's true, then what character am I?"

Henry wrinkled his nose and pursed his lips. "I haven't figured that out yet."

Lina narrowed her eyes. "What character is mom?"

Henry gave Lina a dubious look. "I don't think you're ready for that yet."

Lina gave Henry an odd look, then shrugged and continued her interrogation. "What character are you?"

"I'm not a character," Henry corrected her. "I'm the son of the savior."

"Savior? Your birth mother?"

Henry nodded. "She's the one that will lift the curse. Then you'll all remember who you are."

"Right," Lina responded warily. "You do realize how crazy this sounds, don't you?"

"Do you think I'm crazy?" Henry whispered fearfully.

"No," Lina reassured. "No, I don't think you're crazy. But I do think you have an overactive imagination."

"Then why do you think the clock in the town square hasn't ever moved?" Henry protested.

"Kid," Lina sighed. "That thing hasn't moved for as long as I can remember."

"Exactly!" Henry exclaimed. "It's because time is frozen here! Why else do you think no one has aged in this town apart from me?"

"I've aged!" Lina protested defensively.

"No you haven't," Henry scoffed. "You don't look any different now than you did eight years ago when I was a toddler!"

Lina paused and thought it over while Henry continued.

"You've been in high school for ten years. No one seems to remember anything about their lives before they lived in Storybrooke, AND everyone does the same thing, over and over, day after day! Doesn't that strike you as the least bit odd?"

Lina was at a lost for words. Henry did have some valid points, but his theory still seemed too far fetched. "Well, I _have _noticed that everyone has the same routines. I'm not going to deny that Storybrooke is an odd place. But, Henry," she turned to fully face him and kneeled down to his level. "What you're saying is complete fantasy! It's just not possible."

Henry didn't seem the least bit bothered by Lina's denial. "That's just the curse acting within you."

"What is this curse you keep talking about?!" Lina bursted.

Henry sighed and smiled at Lina much like a mother would to her child when he was doing something cute and memorable. "You really need to read the book."

"Ok," Lina agreed. "I will. Give it to me now so I can start."

"Can't do that," Henry said.

"Why not?"

"I left it with Emma."

"Your birth mother?" Lina replied skeptically. Henry nodded. "I'm willing to bet that wasn't an accident," Lina chuckled.

"You know me so well," Henry recited dramatically. Lina laughed and sat down on the wood of the playground floor.

The two spent the whole day up there, enjoying the views the beach presented and basking in each others' company. They caught up with each other and joked as all brothers and sisters do. They chased each other around the beach, reminisced over old times and even slept on the cold, mushy sand. It was the best day either had had in a long time. That is, until a woman made her way over to the castle.

Lina and Henry didn't even notice she was there until she began climbing the wooden ladder at the base of the structure. Once she reached the top platform, the young blonde stood there, uncertainly staring between Henry and Lina while clutching a hardback golden book to her chest. After a few moments of awkward silence, she decided to sit at Henry's right side, throwing her legs over the edge, allowing them to dangle.

"You left this in my car," she spoke to Henry as she handed him the book. Across the cover read _Once Upon a Time. _Lina smiled sullenly as she watched Henry inspect to binding and cover.

"Hey, I don't think we met," the woman added, turning her attention to Lina.

Lina responded courteously and held out her hand to the woman. "I know. I'm Lina," Lina smiled warmly.

The woman took the young girl's hand and responded with her own name. "Emma. Emma Swan. I'm..." she trailed off, looking to Henry for help explaining who she was.

"The woman who gave birth to Henry?" Lina offered sheepishly.

"Yeah," Emma nodded. "Let's go with that."

"Well, it's very nice to meet you, Miss Swan," Lina chuckled, shaking the woman's hand.

Emma withdrew her hand and gazed across the scene before her, spotting the town square clock sticking out amongst the buildings. "It still hasn't moved, huh?" Emma asked, directing her question at Henry.

"I was hoping that when I brought you back, that things would change here," Henry explained. "That the final battle would begin." Lina listened in on the conversation curiously, but forced herself to look out at the sand and ocean indifferently.

"I'm not fighting any battles, kid," Emma responded despondently.

"Yes you are," Henry spoke with so much conviction "You're here because its your destiny. You're gonna bring back the happy endings."

"Can you cut it with the book crap?" Emma snapped, exasperated.

_"YES! PLEASE!" _a voice inside Lina screamed. The fairytale stuff was getting old. Emma as the savior? C'mon...

"You don't have to be hostile," Henry spoke softly. "I know you like me," he smiled delicately. "I can tell. You're just pushing me away because I make you feel guilty."

"Henry!" Lina snapped, breaking her indifference. He hardly knew this woman, and was already referring to her giving him up as an infant.

"It's ok," Henry continued, ignoring Lina's warning. "I know why you gave me away. You wanted to give me my best chance."

An awkward pause in the conversation ensued. Lina dared a glance at Emma. Her jaw was clenched and her eyes reflected the sorrow she felt for herself and her son.

"How do you know that?" her voice came out in a choked whisper.

"Its the same reason Snow White gave you away," Henry answered as if it was obvious.

"Listen, kid," Emma sighed. "I'm not in any book. I'm a real person. I'm no savior." She paused as she took a deep breath. "You were right about one thing," Emma stared affectionately at Henry. "I wanted you to have your best chance," a tear slipped down her cheek. "But it's not with me," she added looking back at Angelina with a guilty expression.

"C'mon, let's go you two," Emma wiped at her face and leaped down from the playground.

"Please don't take me back there!" Henry protested, running after Emma. Lina lingered behind just enough to hear the conversation and not get in the way. "Just stay with me for one week, that's all I ask. One week and you'll see I'm not crazy," Henry cried.

"I have to get the both of you back to your mom!" Emma exclaimed.

"You don't know what it's like with her! My life sucks!" Henry rebutted. Lina couldn't help but feel a piece of her heart break. Henry's life wasn't that bad...was it?

"Do you want to know what sucking is?" Emma challenged. "Being abandoned on the side of a freeway. My parents didn't even bother dropping me off at a hospital! Ended up in the foster system and I had a family until I was three, but then they had their own kid so they sent me back!" Emma took a deep breath to calm herself. "Look, your mom is trying her best," Emma reassured Henry as he listened intently. "I know its hard. And I know sometimes you think she doesn't love you, but at least she _wants _you."

"Your parents didn't leave you on the side of the freeway," Henry spoke confidently, ignoring all else that was said. "That's just where you came through."

"What?" Emma's brows furrowed.

"The wardrobe," Henry explained. "When you went through the wardrobe, you appeared in the street. Your parents were trying to save you from the curse."

"Sure they were," Emma laughed in amusement. "C'mon Henry," she took his hand into hers. Emma looked back over her shoulder and spotted Lina staring off into the ocean's distance, arms crossed and an eerily pensive look planted across her face. "Coming Lina?" she called. Lina snapped out of her daze and resolutely followed Emma and Henry back home, mind still focused on every word Henry had said.

_Directly after..._

Henry and Lina approached the front door, heads bowed sheepishly as Emma followed close behind. Regina stood at the doorway, arms crossed and a cold expression hardening her features as she looked at Emma with a scrutinizing expression. Henry slipped past her and into the house as quickly as possible to prevent a scolding. And while Angelina tried to do the same, she was stopped by Regina placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Angelina, would you please go unload the groceries in the kitchen?" she asked coolly, gaze still fixed upon Emma.

"You went grocery shopping?" Lina mumbled mostly to herself as she walked inside to do as she was told. _Must've been really worried about us..._

It didn't take Lina long to unload the few bags that sat on the island countertop in the kitchen. She placed the milk in the fridge, spices in the spice cabinet and the meat in the freezer. Once she was done, she drummed her fingers on the countertop impatiently. As she stood there, a heated conversation taking place at the front door carried its way to her ears. Curious as to what was going on between Emma and her mom, Lina snatched an apple from a stash of her mother's homegrown apples and silently rounded the corner out of the kitchen to eavesdrop on the ensuing conversation.

"So I suggest you get in your car and leave this town. Because if you don't, I will destroy you if its the last thing I do," Lina heard Regina threaten. Lina frowned. She had never heard her mom sound this hostile. Lina peered around the corner to survey the scene. Regina and Emma were facing each other, less than a foot apart. Regina's back was facing Lina, but Emma's face wore an expression of bewilderment. "Goodbye Miss Swan," Regina spoke with a tone that said _this conversation's over. _She turned to leave Emma but was stopped short.

"Do you love him?" Emma asked in a hard tone.

"Excuse me?" Regina snapped, whipping her head back around to face Emma.

"Henry. Do you love him?" Emma repeated.

"Of course I love him," Regina sneered with no sliver of affection. And with that, she turned on her heels and slammed the door behind her. Lina quickly ducked back into the kitchen as she heard her mom stomping in to check on her. She leaned casually over the island countertop, staring at the apple she had dug her nails into while listening to the intense conversation between her mom and Emma.

She had only heard half of it, but if she had to place bets, her mom had been the one to start trouble. Why did Regina have to be so abrasive and possessive?

_"I will destroy you if it's the last thing I do." _That sounded a bit over the top. But Regina had meant every single word she said. After ten years of living with the woman, to Lina that much was certain. But that didn't explain why the phrase sounded so familiar. Or why it felt like a stab in her gut when she even thought about it.

Regina entered the room in a huff, heading straight for the coffee pot. "_Might need something a little stronger than that," _Angelina thought to herself as she bit into the apple.

_"I will destroy you if it's the last thing I do." _ Lina coughed as the phrase repeated in her brain. Her eyes widened when she began convulsively gagging and choking as she tried to spit the apple out of her mouth. As she choked on the apple, a series of visions flew through her mind.

_Angelina leaped up to grab the most ripe, ruby red, mouth watering apple that she had seen in her entire life. Once plucked from the tree branch, she took a vigorous bite, suddenly feeling light headed and woozy. Against her will, she fell to the floor in a heap, submerging into a deep state of unconsciousness. _

_When she awoke, she was in a jail cell, dumped to the floor in a heap. Beside her sat the deadly apple with a large bite taken out of it. Angelina laughed dryly and humorlessly. She should've seen that one coming. The Queen did have a certain fetish for the fruit. The apple had knocked her unconscious. And Angelina had fallen into her trap, perhaps willingly. Angelina was about to hurl the fruit across the cell, but was momentarily postponed by a multitude of stomps approaching her cell door. Not wishing to be in the presence of any of the Queen's minions, or the queen herself, Angelina shoved half the apple into her mouth and forced herself to swallow it all, hoping and praying that the more she got down, the longer she would stay unconscious. The last image she saw was the Queen approaching her convulsing body, a dangerously annoyed look on her face. That much gave Angelina pleasure. _

_Then, it was later. Much later. Angelina stood at the bars of her jail cell, glaring at the Evil Queen in all her regal glory. Angelina studied the woman's facial features, lingering on the blood red hue of her lips, to the smokey rims of her eyes. She was beautiful, and could easily see why her brother had fallen in love with her at one time. _

_"You killed my brother," Angelina hissed, remembering who she was speaking to. _

_"Ah, yes! Revenge!" The queen smiled and began pacing lightly outside the barred door. "Revenge is a very powerful thing, filled with rage, passion, determination. I, for one, understand exactly how you feel." _

_"Then you'll understand why I'm not leaving here without carving your heart out of your chest," Angelina glowered and gave the Queen her best death glare. "__**I will destroy you if it's the last thing I do.**__" _

Angelina finally came to, finding herself gasping loudly for breath and gripping the sides of the countertop so tightly that her knuckles were white. The apple had long fallen to the floor, a solo bite taken from the fruit. As Angelina's senses came billowing back, she remembered the dream she had had the previous night. About the queen and herself getting into a confrontation.

"Angelina!" Regina cried for the umpteenth time, soothing her hacking form, by rubbing her back. "Lina! Are you ok?"

Angelina paused and coughed a few more times, wiping apple juice from the corners of her mouth. She vaguely wondered how long Regina had been trying to get her attention and soothe her coughing.

"Daniel..." she whispered in a backlash of her zone out. She hadn't meant to say it, but it came out regardless. She hadn't thought it had come out loudly, but Regina had heard it. She had heard it loud and clear. It couldn't have been any clearer than if Lina had screamed it to the whole world.

Regina involuntarily tensed at the name and slowly released Lina from her hold. She tilted her head a little in confusion. "What was that?" Regina searched for confirmation of what she had witnessed. Did Angelina remember who she was?

"Um..nothing," Lina wiped some sweat from her brow. "I...I'm fine." Without a second thought, Lina rushed out of the kitchen, running her hands through her hair.

Regina started going after her, but stopped at the doorway. Her eyes chased after Lina as she sprinted up the stairs in a hurry. Regina wouldn't admit it to anyone, but she was curious and concerned. She stayed glued to the spot until she heard Lina's door come to a close. Sighing and rubbing her temples, Regina allowed her two children some privacy. God only knew she needed it...

Angelina spent the rest of the light hours of the day cooped up in her room, thinking of the odd dreams she'd had, everything Henry had said and of the bad situation Henry was now involved in, stuck between living with Regina and spending time with his real mother. Surely Emma wouldn't actually leave town after all that Henry had said, regardless of if it was over-exaggerated or not.

"Angelina! I told you!" Henry bursted into the room, a triumphant look on his face.

"Told me what?" Lina jumped at his unannounced presence. Henry lurched over to Lina and tugged her arm, urging her to get out of bed.

"The clock moved. Time is continuing! Look!"

Curious, Lina crept over to her window and looked out to the dark horizon. Sure enough, the town clock, which had always read 8:15, now read 8:16. And the tiniest hand continued to tick off the seconds passing by.

"See?" Henry cried excitedly. "Emma stayed!"

"Um...Henry," Lina gulped in disbelief. "I think it's time you lent me that book."

_A/N: If you made it this far, I applaud you. Please review, favorite and follow to let me know if this is even worth continuing. I promise not all of the chapters will be this lengthy. _


	2. Chapter 2: The Thing You Love Most

**Disclaimer: I don't own OUAT or any of its characters. It's a fanfic. Calm down...**

Angelina held the apple steadily in her hand, eyeing it cautiously as she deliberated where the best spot to sink her teeth into it would be. "_This is ridiculous," _she thought to herself. _"Why am I so scared of an apple?" _

Lina knew exactly why she was so hesitant to take a bite of the fruit her mother was so keen on growing on a tree in their backyard. The last time she had, a sequence of disturbing visions had clouded her mind. Visions that she hadn't spoken about with anyone. However, Lina could tell that Regina had her suspicions. Her mom had not stopped dissecting every movement she made since Lina's little episode. Regina had been present for the convulsing fit Lina had endured. As crazy as it sounded, Lina had the foreboding feeling that Regina knew something that she didn't. But then again, Lina always felt that way when it came to her mother.

Lina was afraid of what she might see if she ate another apple. But her curiosity was stronger. She _wanted _to see more. She _craved _the possibilities of what the visions meant. She was sure Henry would have his theories if she told him. But Lina wanted to discover this on her own. After a moment's hesitation, Lina abruptly took a huge chunk out of the apple with her teeth, chewing vigorously and swallowing as quickly as possible. Nothing.

Eyes narrowed in confusion, she took another bite, savoring the flavor while opening her mind and soul to allow the visions to appear. Still nothing. This went on until all that was left in Lina's hand was a narrow apple core. She stared at it for a while, then, with a despondent huff, she tossed it into the waste bin.

_"Maybe I am going crazy," _ Lina thought as she drifted to the parlor room at the front of the house. Mind still elsewhere, she found herself sitting down at the grand piano that Regina had insisted she put to good use, for her mom hardly used it.

In fact, the only time she had ever seen Regina play the piano was many years ago, when Lina hadn't been officially taken in under Regina's wing. In addition, Regina hadn't noticed Lina's presence. Lina stroked the keys of the piano and began to play a heartfelt, haunting melody as she remembered that day.

_Lina paced the block that Mayor Regina Mills resided in. It had been a week since the woman had stopped her from leaving the town city limits and had invited Lina to her house to have dinner. When it had happened, Lina had felt comfortable with the mayor, opening up to her in an instant while feeling an odd connection and understanding with Regina's complicated emotions and actions. _

_Looking back on it, the whole situation had been odd. Very odd. Since when did Regina Mills give a shit about anyone? Much less a teenage girl? Lina had kept her distance after that day, not wanting to be a nuisance to the overworked, busy mayor. But there was something about her that drew Lina to the most powerful woman in the town. Why was that?_

_Finally gaining the confidence to approach the massive house, Lina silently walked the walkway leading to the mayor's estate. Would the woman even want to see her? Had Regina's invitation been a one time event? Lina was about to find out. _

_She hesitated as she brought her fist up to knock on the door. Lina was about to bring her hand down on the door when the distant sound of music drifted to her ears. Lina paused and listened more intently. The music was coming from inside. Biting her bottom lip, Lina crept around the side of the house, searching for the source of the hypnotic melodies that reached her ears. The sound was hauntingly beautiful. Simple, depressing chords that hinted at something more than the sorrowful notes played. _

_Lina rounded the corner of the house, spotting an open window along the wall. She crept her way over to it as quietly as possible, the music growing louder as she did. Lina peered inside. She was astounded by what lay before her eyes. _

_Regina was playing the piano. The enchanting and somewhat mesmerizing tune rang through the house. The mayor's eyes were almost fully closed, absorbed in the music she played. Her feet pressed down onto the golden levers at the base of the piano as both her hands flew across the long, ivory keys. The melancholy melody sung out like a lone wolf crying out to the moon. Regina leaned into the grand piano as she played it, as if it would make the music more beautiful than it already was. _

_Lina stepped out of the window as to not get caught gawking over the mayor's abilities. She sat down on the grass, leaning her head against the wall as she listened to the delicate notes carry to her ears. She smiled at the thought of Regina opening her heart and soul through the stanzas of the music. With that image in the front of her mind, and the music engulfing her essence, Lina fell asleep. _

Regina had found Lina soon after she had fallen asleep. Although she had thought it odd, Regina had woken Lina up and invited her in for apple cider. Lina smirked as she remembered realizing Regina's obsession of apples for the first time.

A buzz from her phone in her back pocket stopped Lina from finishing the last set of notes in the song she played. Stopping abruptly, she pulled her phone out and glanced at the text message she had just received.

**Lina: **

**It's Henry. I'm using Emma's phone. Meet us at Granny's ASAP. There's some stuff we need to talk about. See you there! **

Although Lina vaguely wondered what this was all about, she quickly retrieved her coat and rushed out the front door, thoughts still lingering with the angelic nature of Regina's piano skills.

_Lina. Henry. Emma. Lina. Henry. Emma. Lina. Henry. Emma. _

_Angelina was lounging in the Evil Queen's chambers, laying down on an Ottoman chair, reading contemptuously when a sword sliced through the air and lodged itself into the stone wall. Angelina jumped and looked to Henry, Regina's father, alarmingly, but relaxed when she saw the Queen standing in the room, the purple smoke that she had appeared in fading into the air. _

_The Queen was furious, that much was certain. Furious and triumphant at the same time. _

_"Would you like something to drink?" Henry asked politely, holding out a silver tray with a goblet of wine to the Queen. _

_"Do I look like I need a drink?" Regina snapped. _

_"I was only trying to help," Henry responded calmly, holding out the tray. _

_After less than a second's worth of deliberation, the Queen took the goblet. "Thank you." _

_"So," Angelina spoke. "How'd it go?" She was interrupted by the mirror. _

_"Now that was an awfully big threat. Destroy everyone's happiness. How do you plan on accomplishing that?" he directed his words at Regina. _

_"That well, huh?" Angelina answered her own question with a sigh, turning the page of the adventure novel she read. _

_Regina looked back at Angelina with a roll of her eyes at the girl's witty nature. She then turned back to the mirror and smirked maliciously. "A dark curse," she answered. _

_Those words made Angelina slam her book shut in alarm. This couldn't be good..._

_"Are you sure your majesty?" Henry asked. _

_"But you said you'd never use it," the mirror protested. _

_"You made a deal when you gave away that curse," Henry added. _

_"You traded it away!" the mirror elaborated. _

_"She won't be happy to see you," Henry warned._

_Regina had basked in the glory of uncertainty between the pair, but snapped at Henry's final statement. "Since when do I care about anyone's happiness but mine?" _

_Angelina could tell that that hurt Henry. It hurt Angelina for hurting Henry! But, she was NOT following along. What were they talking about? _

_"Prepare the carriage," Regina commanded._

_"What are you three blubbering about?!" Lina intervened. "Where do you have to go and what is this dark curse?" _

_"I'm going to the forbidden fortress," Regina announced, not even looking at Angelina. She then strode out with purpose and determination. _

_"Yeah, because that explains so much..." Angelina sighed, watching the Queen leave. _

_"She traded her curse in exchange for the Sleeping Curse with the Sorceress Maleficent," Henry explained as he stood at Angelina's side. _

_"Maleficent," Angelina echoed. "The same woman who put Princess Aurora...? she left the question hanging. _

_"Precisely," Henry nodded. _

_"What does Regina's curse do?" Angelina whispered fearfully. _

_Henry hesitated. "I am not sure. I don't think anyone knows aside from my daughter and the man that gave it to her." _

_Angelina turned to Henry and tilted her head to one side curiously. "And who gave it to her?" _

_"Rumpelstiltskin." _

_Lina. Henry. Emma. Lina. Henry. Emma. Lina. Henry. Emma. _

"Lina! Over here!" Henry called as soon as Lina entered the door of Granny's . Henry and Emma had tucked themselves into the corner booth at the front of the establishment. With a smile, Lina took the seat next to Henry.

"Hey Henry. Miss Swan," she greeted. "How are you?"

"Fine, thanks," Emma nodded. But Lina could tell that Emma wasn't doing well at all. And Lina was willing to bet that Emma's misery had something to do with Regina.

"Hot chocolate with cinnamon," Henry grinned while pushing a mug to Lina.

"Thanks," Lina replied, taking a large sip. "So...want to just jump into it? What's going on?"

"Emma and I have a plan," Henry started.

"A plan for what?" Lina looked to Emma for help.

"A plan to get everyone in Storybrooke to remember who they are," Henry replied as if it was obvious.

"You mean as fairytale characters?" Lina asked slowly. Henry nodded. "But, according to you, _I_ am a fairytale character. Why include me in this?"

"Because you're different," Henry replied. "Your story isn't in the book."

"Speaking of which," Lina interrupted. "I thought you were going to let me read it."

Henry pressed his lips together and sighed. "Bad news. Mom knows."

"Knows what?" Lina responded, clueless as ever.

"She has the book."

"And that's a bad thing because...?"

Henry lowered his gaze hesitantly. Lina took another sip of her hot chocolate as she waited for Henry to respond.

"She's the Evil Queen."

Lina almost spit her drink all over Emma and had to cover her mouth to restrain from doing so. "What?!" she shrieked.

"It's about time you knew," Henry shrugged.

Lina glanced at Emma after staring at Henry incredulously for a few moments. Emma had a steely look on her face that clearly stated she wasn't buying any of this. She was just going along with it.

"Hey, kid," Emma interrupted, directing her attention to Henry. "Shouldn't we be getting you to school?"

"Yes," Lina agreed, grateful for a subject change. "In fact, I need to get going too." The trio hurriedly left the diner.

"We need to come up with a name for our plan," Henry decided as they crossed the street.

"I still don't know what the plan is!" Lina exclaimed.

"We'll fill you in later," Henry reassured. "How about Operation Cobra?" Henry suggested.

"Operation Cobra?" Emma laughed. "That has nothing to do with fairy tales."

"Exactly!" Henry exclaimed. "No one will suspect it!"

"So what _is _your plan?" Lina pried.

"Short version," Henry started. "Keep these pages," he pulled out three, crumpled storybook pages from his pocket. "Away from mom."

"Why?" Lina scoffed, still baffled at how Henry believed Regina was the Evil Queen. "What happens if she finds them?"

"We lose all hope of breaking the curse," Henry stated solemnly.

"Good to know," Lina frowned, still not completely convinced. "Now, c'mon. We need to get to school."

_Operation Cobra. Operation Cobra. Operation Cobra. _

_Angelina stood amidst some of the foulest creatures and people in the middle of darkest corner of the Enchanted Forest. A large fire blazed in the night at the center of the congregation. All those present gathered around the fire in anticipation of why the Queen called them there. Needless to say, she felt completely out of place. At least Henry stood at her side. The only thing that kept her connected with the rest of the group was the intricate box she held in her hands, concealing some unknown object that Regina needed to enact the curse. If all went well, the curse would be unleashed, and who knew what would happen then. _

_"Who among us is tired of losing?" Regina started, addressing everyone present. "That is why I called you here. To put an end to our misery." The Evil Queen tossed something into the fire that Angelina couldn't distinguish before it was ripped apart by the flames. "Today we claim victory and move to a new, better realm. A place where we can finally win." _

_"And we'll be happy?" an Old Hag spoke up with so much hope in her tone. _

_"I guarantee it," Regina smiled darkly. "But first, I need something from you." Everyone looked to her expectantly when she paused. "A lock of hair from those with the darkest souls." All present looked to each other uncertainly. There were only a handful of dark spells that required a lock of one's hair, none of them good. "You must trust me," Regina went on. "Because if you don't, there are other ways," she grinned deviously. Regina gestured her hand to the vines overlapping each other all around the group and they instantly came to life, threatening to intertwine and bind all those present. Angelina shivered, but held her ground. _

_Everyone began to hastily cut locks of hair from their heads. _

_"A wise decision," Regina nodded approvingly as she went around to collect the hair in a palm sized basket. Angelina silently wondered if the Queen expected her to cut off a lock of her own hair. She didn't have a dark soul. Far from it actually. Her question was answered when Regina bypassed her with eyes that dissected Angelina's every move, as if trying to determine how comfortable she was with this whole situation. _

_"All that remains is the final ingredient," Regina announced, looking to Angelina as a signal to bring forth the box. "A prized heart from my childhood stead." Angelina had to restrain from gagging as Regina picked up the heart, tenderly and carefully. "A glorious beast whose passing will fuel our victory," the Queen spoke more to herself than anyone. "Let my wrath be unleashed!" She cried as she threw the heart into the fire. _

_The flames grew so high that Angelina flinched from the intensity. Blackish purple and green smoke billowed from the fire and threatened to consume everything in its path. Angelina couldn't remember being more scared in her entire life. The only thing that might have topped this was walking into Regina's stable to find her brother's lifeless form when she was only five. _

_Then, as quickly as the curse was manifested, it diminished. Regina stood there a bit dumbfounded and confused when a little gnome began laughing maniacally at the failed attempt. _

_"Yeah, you really unleashed something there," he giggled. Not in the mood for humor and games, The Evil Queen froze him in an instant. Angelina dared to look at her and saw more determination ferocity than ever before. The Queen was infuriated. Which is exactly was Angelina slipped away into the forest before another word could be said. _

_The curse. The curse. The curse. The curse. The curse._

School had been a drag. Lina couldn't stop thinking about Henry's implication that Regina was the Evil Queen in his storybook. She supposed it made a bit of sense, but it also implied that the brief "dreams" she'd had weren't of just some made up Queen in Lina's imagination, but of Regina and herself...in another life...? Lina still wasn't sure about any of this. And, to top it all off, Lina had been forced to stay after school to take the Calculus test she'd missed the day before. Why did life have to be so complicated?

Lina strolled the few blocks to her mother's office. She was to meet Regina and Henry there so that they could go out to dinner as a family before escorting Henry to his therapy session, as was always the routine on Thursdays.

Deciding to enter the back way, Lina was flabbergasted to see her mom's apple tree strewn across the grass in the backyard. She stood there, looking at it oddly, before leaving to ascend the stairs to Regina's office. When she reached the top, she was met by Henry eavesdropping on a conversation that was taking place within Regina's office.

"Henry...what-" Lina whispered, but was quickly cut off by Henry making a slit throat gesture to shut up. She decided to listen along with him, and was a bit surprised to hear Emma inside, civilly discussing Henry with the mayor. It seemed to be going ok, until Emma spoke her next set of words.

"The poor kid can't tell the difference between fantasy and reality and it's only getting worse. It's crazy," she sighed.

Henry couldn't stay still anymore. "You think I'm crazy?" he asked in a hurt voice, emerging from behind the wall. Lina emerged as well, placing her hand on Henry's shoulder in comfort.

Emma looked guilty and shocked that her son had heard what she said. "Henry..." she spoke regretfully. She started to get up, but Henry quickly turned around and raced out of the building, clearly hurt and betrayed.

Lina looked to her mom to see a smugly triumphant look on Regina's face. She had planned the encounter. What a bitch! Racing after Henry, Lina couldn't help but thinking that maybe Regina was evil...

_The curse. The curse. The curse. The curse. The curse. _

_Angelina sat at the window ledge, staring distantly at the view of her chambers. They had improved a considerable amount in the past few months. Originally starting out in the dungeons, having her own wing was the most drastic improvement she could have ever thought of. A breeze blew at her hair as she sighed, thoughts drifting to Daniel as they often did. _

_She hadn't seen or heard from Regina since her failed attempt to enact the curse. And that had been many hours ago. Angelina assumed she wanted her space to figure out what went wrong. In many ways, Angelina felt bad for Regina. But in other ways, she still despised the woman with a passion. After all, she had killed Daniel. However, she had come to the conclusion that there was more to the story than Regina had ever led on. _

_Angelina pulled at the simple chain she wore around her neck. It was a silver chain with a small bronze ring attached on it. The chain had been her mother's, the ring her brother's. It was nights like this that Angelina wallowed in self pity. She began to softly sing a lullaby that Daniel had used to sing to her. _

_"Dark the stars and dark the moon." _

_"Hush the night and the morning loon." _

_"Tell the horses and beat on your drum." _

_"Gone their master, gone their son."_

_Angelina ran her fingers over the ring and sighed before continuing. _

_"Dark the oceans, dark the sky." _

_"Hush the whales and the ocean tide." _

_"Tell the salt marsh and beat on your drum." _

_"Gone their master, gone their son." _

_"Dark to light and light to dark." _

_"Three black carriages, three white carts." _

_"What brings us together is what pulls us apart." _

_"Gone our brother, gone our heart."_

_By that point, Angelina couldn't hold it in any longer. Bitter tears streaked her cheeks as the cold air slapped at her face. She didn't know how long she sat there, wiping her eyes and trying to gain composure. But it felt like centuries. _

_"Did Daniel sing that song to you?" a voice spoke. _

_Startled, Angelina looked back at the door. There stood Regina, closing the door behind her as she slowly tread towards Angelina. _

_"Uh...yes," Angelina mumbled, wiping her cheeks clean of tears. She watched as Regina sat across from her on an elaborate, cushioned chair. "When I had nightmares, when I needed comfort, or just when I wanted to hear his voice," Angelina elaborated. She saw Regina watching her every move with a soft expression. "How did you know?" _

_"It's amazing you remember it after all these years," Regina ignored Angelina's question. "But that's not why I'm here," she adopted a more authoritative tone. _

_"Then, why are you here?" _

_"I need you to do something for me," the Queen's brown eyes locked with Angelina's. _

_"Is this about the curse?" Angelina whispered._

_"In a sense," Regina agreed. _

_"You figured out how to unleash it?" Regina only nodded, a sorrowful gaze lingering beneath her features. Angelina released a breath and ran a finger over her brow. _

_"I will enact the curse tonight," Regina informed. "But, if you do as you're told, you won't be affected by it." _

_Angelina's ears perked. She wouldn't fall victim to the curse? "Why spare me?" she asked. _

_The corners of Regina's lips curled upwards into the hint of a smile. "You don't deserve to suffer." _

_Angelina had to have been hearing things. "What does the curse do?" she swallowed. _

_"Sends all of those in its path to a distant world," Regina explained. "A world where there will be no happy endings. None but mine." _

_Angelina nodded slowly, digesting the information. "What do you need me to do?" _

_With a smile of satisfaction, Regina made a quick gesture with her hand to have a large scepter appear in her palm. The end of the scepter held a glass ball that illuminated from within. While Angelina inspected the intricate handle of the object, Regina offered it to her, holding out the scepter for Angelina to take. _

_"What is this?" she asked skeptically. _

_"When you see the curse coming," Regina instructed, "strike this on the floor with as much force as you can. It will create a force field that will protect you along with anyone within a three mile radius of your location." _

_"So...I'll get to stay? I won't be subjected to the curse?" _

_Regina nodded in confirmation. _

_"What about your father?" _

_A pained look crossed Regina's face. "He won't be staying." _

_For some reason, Angelina thought that the Queen wasn't telling her something. But she shrugged it aside and focused on the matter at hand. _

_"And what will I do with what's left of the kingdom?" Angelina inquired. _

_The Queen smiled a genuine smile, something of which was rare. "Rule." _

_Angelina gasped. That couldn't be right. The Evil Queen was handing her the kingdom on a silver platter! "What's the catch?" Angelina narrowed her eyes. _

_"No catch," Regina assured. She hesitantly took Angelina's hand into her own, pleading with her eyes to take everything she said very seriously. "I may or may not ever be able to return, but if I do, just promise me that the kingdom won't be in ruins." _

_"I can guarantee it," Angelina smiled serenely, gazing into the Queen's eyes. Regina broke eye contact quickly, not wanting her last moments in her castle to be so intimate. Not before she was to unleash a curse with so much wrath, darkness and malicious effects. Regina stood uncomfortably, giving Angelina one last glance over, feeling a foreign feeling in her gut. So this was goodbye. The girl she had allowed into her life was to stay behind and fulfill certain duties while Regina moved on to a happier existence. Somehow it didn't seem right. Regina turned to leave, decked out in intimidating attire, to gloat in Snow White's face before destroying her happiness. _

_"Your majesty," Angelina called out before the Queen could depart. A bit regretfully, Regina slowed to a halt and glanced at the girl from the corner of her eye. _

_"I truly hope you find your happiness," Angelina gave the Queen her blessing. _

_Regina was sure that in another time, another life, she would have rushed to Angelina and embraced her for even giving her a chance. For being supportive and choosing, against all odds, to stay with her in the dark, looming castle she called home. But the queen was well past all of that. There was no turning back. That sanction of Regina's heart had been crushed with the passing of time. Regina was incapable of love ever again. _

_The thing you love most. The thing you love most. The thing you love most. _

Dinner had been the most awkward sitting ever. Henry was still depressed of what Emma had said. And while Regina tried to comfort him, Lina knew the truth. Regina Mills had manipulated Emma into saying that Henry was crazy in Henry's presence. And, unbeknownst to Regina, the whole ordeal was only hurting Henry rather than pushing Emma away.

After dinner, Regina had taken Henry to his therapy session whilst Lina decided to go on a stroll until Henry's session was over. Then she would pick him up and take him home. Lina stroked her silver chain with a bronze ring attached to it that she had had for as long as she could remember pensively. It didn't make any sense. Why was Regina so threatened by Emma? Other than the fact that Miss Swan was Henry's birth mother, the woman didn't have anything on Regina. Regina still had custody of Henry, still had the power and control of the town, and still had Lina. But maybe that wasn't enough...

When the time came to pick up Henry, Angelina made her way to Archie's office. As she neared the building, she was astounded and relieved at what she saw. Emma and Henry were walking hand in hand, both smiling foolishly like children.

"I see you two have made up," Lina couldn't help but smile along with them.

"It was a trick! What Emma said. So the Evil Queen would think we don't believe. It's brilliant!" Henry spoke all in one breath. Lina looked to Emma for confirmation. She winked and made a face that spoke _just go with it. _

"Well, I'm all for deception," Lina smirked. "But, please, don't refer to Mom as the Evil Queen." _God I'm going to have a hard time getting used to that. _

"But she is the Evil Queen," Henry mumbled.

"I'm not saying she's not," Lina mused. "I just think you need to give me time to transition to this new state of mind."

Emma nodded her approval at Lina's words. _Don't crush his reality. _"C'mon guys," she put her arm around Henry. "We need to get you home."

"I know you really love that idea," Lina grumbled mostly to herself. Emma heard, however, and she laughed whole heartedly.

_Lina. Henry. Emma. Lina. Henry. Emma. Lina. Henry. Emma. _

_Angelina waited and waited for the curse. She clutched the scepter so tightly that her knuckles turned white and numb. All she had to do was strike the ground with it when the curse's fog was approaching. Then she would be safe. Then she would rule. Rule. That was an odd concept. Rule what? Whoever was saved in the aftermath of the curse? _

_"What is a girl like you doing in a place like this?" A woman's voice spoke from behind Angelina. She jumped and turned to face an older woman with chestnut brown hair gathered into a bun and a black cloak with silver latches closing it over her body. _

_"And what are you doing with that?" she added, pointing at the scepter. _

_Angelina was at a lost for words. "Who are you?" she managed to say. _

_The woman smirked and began circling Angelina, making her feel very uncomfortable. "Many know me as a powerful sorceress. Others by the Queen of Hearts," she stopped directly in front of Angelina, face drawn close to hers. "You can call me Cora." _

_Cora. Cora. Where had Angelina heard that name before? _

_"What do you want?" she spoke instead. _

_"Not one for formalities are we?" Cora chuckled amusedly. "It's really quite simple," she mused. "I have a sudden inquisition to obtain that scepter," she said, eyeing the object Angelina held in her hand. _

_Angelina held onto it a bit tighter, protecting it from being wrenched from her grasp. "Well, I'm sorry to say you can't have it," she spat, not liking Cora's testiness. _

_"Aw," Cora cooed. "That's too bad. Because you really don't stand a chance protecting it." She held out her hand expectantly. "Give it to me, now." _

_Angelina eyed Cora's gloved hand warily and debated whether to hand it over. Who was this woman and what did she plan to do with the scepter? Deciding to be a thorn in her side, Angelina took off in a dead sprint, departing her wing of the castle. _

_Cora sighed drearily after the young girl. "And I hoped it wouldn't come to this." _

_It didn't take long for Cora to catch up. One second, Angelina was running, the next, Cora appeared in front of her in a cloud of purple smoke. Something that Regina always did... _

_Without a second thought, Cora plunged her hand into Angelina's chest, took hold of her heart and squeezed, disarming her in an instant. Angelina shrieked as the searing pain inflamed her whole body and gasped when she couldn't breathe. She stared into Cora's eyes which were lighted with malicious glee at the pain she inflicted upon the young girl. Something about the way Cora looked at her reminded Angelina a lot of Regina. The eyes, the lips pursed upwards and the defined jaw line as it tensed in satisfaction. _

_Angelina couldn't help but drop the scepter through the pain. As soon as it hit the floor, Cora released her hold on Angelina's heart. She fell to the floor in a heap, gasping and coughing for air. She saw Cora bending down to retrieve the scepter, but was too weak to stop her. _

_"Thank you for cooperating, dear," she said admiringly before vanishing in a cloud of smoke. _

_Angelina had no time to move or think before the fog and smoke of the curse engulfed her, sealing her fate and destiny as it did every other Storybook character in its path. _

**_Author's Note: I very much appreciate the response to this story! I'm having a great time writing it. I get so many feels re-watching each episode. It almost kills me! Good news though! Only a few weeks until the Hiatus is over! Hey as a side note, the song used when Angelina is singing is "Gone" by Ioanna Gika from Snow White and the Huntsman. Just in case you recognize it. So, I don't own the lyrics. And, I was watching an episode and in one of the faraway screenshots, I saw a piano in Regina's parlor. So that's where that whole thing came from. I could see Regina being a very emotional pianist in her spare time... If you want to see the song I had in mind while writing that bit, you can find it here: www. youtube watch? v=P_ J38bgWZBU (no spaces). Please review, follow and favorite! And please let me know if I'm getting characterization and scenarios right. I'm new to this fandom and would like ya'll to correct me if I'm writing something wrong! Until next time! _**


	3. Chapter 3: Snow Falls

**_A/N: I know.. this took me forever. I'm sorry! but better late than never right?_**

**_Disclaimer: I don't own OUAT. Chillax! It's just a fanfic._**

_Angelina pulled the arrow back taught and aimed at a self made target hanging no more than a hundred feet away from her on a large tree trunk. Today was the day that marked her path to revenge. Today she would begin her training to assassinate the Queen. She would kill her if it was the last thing she did. Daniel was dead because of her. Angelina's parents had long departed from the multitude of wars the Queen had waged against other kingdoms. Her father had been drafted to fight; her mother had died of a broken heart. After the disappearance of her son, the death of her husband was too much for Angelina's mother to take. She had died, leaving Angelina in a cold world all by herself. Of course, she had also died without the knowledge that her son was also dead. _

_Angelina often wondered if her family was reunited in some distant realm of the dead. Mother, father, son, living together, watching over her as she carried on in misery and despair, driven by rage and determination. At times, Angelina hated her family for leaving her alone. What had she done to deserve this, living off the fat of the land in the Enchanted Forest, forcing herself to survive despite the overwhelming desire to cut her life short? It wasn't fair! And it was all the Evil Queen's fault. _

_With all this on her mind, Angelina took a deep breath before releasing the arrow. This was her first stab at archery. And that sole fact was reflected in the result of her release. The arrow did nothing more than drop directly to the ground no more than a few yards in front of her. Instantly frustrated, Angelina released a sharp breath and went to bend and pick up the sharpened arrow. How was she supposed to assassinate the queen with this weak skill set? _

_"Looks like I'm going to need a lot of work." _

_**Storybrooke, Maine. Storybrooke, Maine. Storybrook, Maine. **_

"Where have you been?" Lina called from the living room as she read her copy of _Fahrenheit 451 _by Ray Bradbury. Out of all the books she'd been assigned to read at school, this one was by far the most interesting. In some odd way, she felt that she could relate to the oppressive society demonstrated within the pages of the book.

"With Emma," Henry responded as if it was obvious, plopping down on the couch beside Lina.

"Ah," Lina mused knowingly. "More Operation Cobra stuff?"

Henry nodded shortly, then gazed about the room. "Where's Mom?" he questioned.

"Who knows?" Lina shrugged carelessly, flipping to the next page in her book.

"Hey, thanks for getting the book back," Henry said, making Lina look up from the sentence she was reading.

"That wasn't me, kid," Lina laughed. "Mom was the one who agreed to give it back."

"Yeah, but she wouldn't have given it back without your persuading," Henry shot back.

Lina looked at him oddly for a few seconds. First, Regina is the Evil Queen, and now she's incapable of doing good? "No problem, Henry," she finally accepted the gratitude. "Speaking of which," Lina continued, "When do you want to start reading me this book of fairytales that are supposedly true?"

"Whenever you're ready," Henry shrugged.

"How about now?" Lina suggested, placing a ribbon in her book to mark her place.

"Can't," Henry frowned regretfully. "It's with Mary Margret."

"And just what in the world is she doing with it?" Lina narrowed her eyes, sensing Henry's scheming being involved.

"She's going to read it to the John Doe patient in the hospital. You know, the one in a coma?" Henry prompted.

"Oh yeah!" Lina remembered. "The one no one has claimed. But, why does Mary Margret need to read to him? How did you convince her to?"

"Emma's working on that," Henry admitted. "But John Doe is Prince Charming."

"How can you be so sure?" Lina asked, baffled at Henry's certainty in the matter.

"I just know," Henry sighed. "You would too if you read the book."

"And who's fault is it that I haven't?" Lina retorted challengingly.

"Anyway," Henry continued in a borderline annoyed tone. "I'm meeting Emma and Miss Blanchard at Granny's tomorrow morning. She's going to give a report on how the reading went." Henry eyed Lina from the corner of his eye. "You should come," he decided in a tone that left no room for argument.

Why in the world would Emma agree to this? _She _didn't believe Henry's theory. So why encourage this well thought out figment of Henry's imagination? Maybe the meeting would turn into a reasoning session to prove to Henry that fairytales don't exist. That's what it had to be. When Mary Margret showed up and said nothing had happened, they could all show Henry the impossibility of his theory.

"And I'm assuming mother isn't to know about this little gathering?" Lina mused aloud, already knowing the answer.

"She's the Evil Queen," Henry reminded. "Everything we do for Operation Cobra has to be a secret."

"Right," Lina sighed. She hated it when Henry referred to Regina as the Evil Queen. Yeah, she was strict, sometimes a bit brash, and many people in Storybrooke feared her, but Lina refused to think of her as pure evil.

Lina was about to turn down the offer, but stopped upon seeing the childlike gleam of hope and delight in Henry's eyes. She didn't feel it was right to deny him of a simple joy, considering how much he truly believed his life sucked.

"Alright," Lina agreed. "I'll go. But I don't know what you're expecting Mary Margret to say happened."

"Something has to," Henry said with certainty. "Snow White and Prince Charming will always find each other."

Lina paused at the revelation. So that's who Henry thought Mary Margret was. Snow White. And if Mary Margret was Snow White, and Regina the Evil Queen, that might explain why Regina hated her so much...Wait, what was Lina thinking? This was all some made up scenario concocted in Henry's brain.

"Hey Lina," Henry started cautiously, drawing her out of her thoughts. "I need your help with something."

"You always need help," Lina rolled her eyes in semi irritation. "But how can I be of assistance?" she put on an overly fake smile.

"You're a girl," Henry stated as if to confirm his internal justification to himself. "Do you think Emma and Mom wear the same shirt size?"

_**Snow Falls. Snow Falls. Snow Falls. Snow Falls.** _

_Angelina crouched behind the trees and bushes as to not be seen. She watched as the Evil Queen's carriage approached, gripping onto her bow and arrows so tightly that is was amazing they didn't snap in two. It took everything within Angelina to not leap at the opportunity to kill. All the muscles, tendons and joints in her body fought vigorously against her will. She seethed and shook in anger. _

_"Today's not the day," she whispered calmly to herself. "You've just learned how to properly shoot a bow and arrow. There's no way you're ready to take on five armed guards AND the queen." The words were meant to soothe her, but they only made her feel more weak and vulnerable. _

_Angelina vaguely wondered what Daniel would do in this situation. But who was Angelina kidding? Daniel would NEVER even think to harm someone, no matter what they'd done or who they'd hurt. Daniel had been far too much of an angel. But not Angelina. Angelina had gone off the deep end, constantly descending deeper into the great abyss. _

_So, miraculously, Angelina restrained herself from launching an attack against the Queen's armed forces. She watched as the carriage disappeared behind the trees of the next turn, then stood and cautiously went back to hunting for food. _

_The day would come in due time. Angelina would get her vengence. The Queen would die at her hands. Angelina had lost so much, been through so much. She would not rest until Queen Regina was dead. _

_**Storybrooke, Maine. Storybrooke, Maine. Storybrooke, Maine.** _

"Thanks for the shirt," Emma said as she returned to the booth she, Henry and Lina occupied at the diner. "Hey, is this your mother's?"

"She'll never notice," Lina and Henry responded in unison.

"It's not a problem," Lina reassured as she saw Emma's worried expression. "I made sure to take one that she hardly ever wears. Besides, you need it more than she does," Lina finished, surveying how the shirt fit on Emma. Damn she was good! It fit perfectly and looked great on her!

"Where does she think you guys are anyway?" Emma asked.

"Playing Wack-a-Mole," Henry pipped up. His answer was met by an odd silence.

"And she bought that?" Emma spoke, speaking exactly what was on Lina's mind.

"She wants to believe it, so she does," Henry explained.

"Oh, imagine that!" Emma laughed sarcastically.

"I thought I told you to make up a good excuse for leaving the house! I wouldn't be caught dead at the arcade!" Lina chastised.

"Like you could have come up with anything better!" Henry retorted. "What else could I have said?"

"Oh, believe me," Lina scoffed. "I could have thought of something much more reasonable than _wack-a-mole_."

"She's here!" Henry whispered feverently, ignoring Lina's comment as he watched Mary Margret approach them.

"Hey, don't get your hopes up," Emma murmured softly to Henry in the hope to calm him down. "We're just getting started, ok?"

Lina, Henry and Emma waited patiently for Mary Margret to take a seat beside Emma. They sat in silence as they waited in anticipation for Mary Margret to say something. Lina sensed that something was wrong, as did everyone else. Miss Blanchard hesitated slightly before opening her mouth.

"He woke up," she said in a voice that sounded as surprised as everyone else felt. It took everything inside Lina to not gasp or choke on her water.

"What?" Emma snapped.

"I knew it," Henry smiled in triumph.

"He didn't wake up, wake up," Mary continued in a rush, "but he grabbed my hand."

"He's remembering!" Henry exclaimed.

"What did the doctor say?" Emma asked skeptically.

"That I imagined it, but I'm not crazy. I know it happened."

"We have to go back!" Henry urged. "You have to read to him again!"

Mary Margret seemed to mull it over for a few brief seconds. Without a moment's hesitation, she gave a curt, enthusiastic nod and smiled. "Let's go!"

Henry and Mary Margret leaped from the table and began to leave the diner, leaving Emma and Lina dumbfoundedly looking at each other.

Emma blinked rapidly in confusion. "Wait. Wait. What?" she called after them, hauling herself up. Lina followed suit, just as confused as Emma.

"If I got through to him, if we made a connection," Mary Margret spoke as Emma stopped her.

"You don't believe-" Emma protested frantically.

"That he's Prince Charming? Of course not!" she reassured. "But, somehow, someway, I touched him!" And with that, Mary Margret rushed out after Henry.

Emma stood beside Lina, staring after Miss Blanchard, still absorbing the aftermath shock of the events that had played out. ,"Are we gonna follow them out?" Lina sighed regretfully.

"Do we have a choice?" Emma mumbled. "C'mon."

It didn't take long to catch up with the two. And it really didn't take much time to arrive at the hospital, being that all were practically sprinting to get a glance at the supposed "Prince Charming."

_"We must look crazy," _Lina thought as they busted through the doors of the hospital. _"If only mother could see us now..." _

No one asked any questions as they ran to the back of the facility. They were met by a small crowd of doctors and Sherriff Graham. What was he doing here?

"You're right!" Henry exclaimed excitedly, running at the lead of the pack. Lina hurried after him to keep him out of the commotion. "He's waking up!"

Sherriff Graham stepped calmly in front of Henry's path, slowing him down. "Henry, Lina, you should stand back," he instructed.

"What's going on?" Mary Margret asked worriedly. "Is it John Doe? Is he ok?"

"He's...missing," Graham managed to get out. Emma, Mary Margret, Lina and Henry were at a loss of words. How in the world...? Graham then turned to face the doorway to the missing patient's room, revealing the one and only Regina Mills standing amidst the chaos of the room. Her angered, intimidating gaze was set on Emma, Henry, Mary Margret and Lina, but mostly Emma. Regina's defiant look only intimidated Lina into rubbing her temple and biting her lip.

"_Dammit," _ she thought bitterly to herself. _"Busted." _

"What the hell are you doing here?" Regina snapped at Emma as she emerged from the room. She then turned her attention to Henry and Lina. "And you two," she lurched forward and pulled on both their arms forcefully. "I thought you were at the arcade," Regina looked more to Henry than Lina. "Now you're lying to me?!"

"Seems to be a new trend with me," Lina sighed dramatically. She had wanted to stop herself from saying it. She really had. But the words tumbled out as if they had a mind of their own. She regretted saying it as soon as Regina gave her a look full of steaming anger. Regina hid the emotion pretty well as she straightened her posture and tried to look unaffected by Lina's comment.

"What happened to John Doe?" Mary Margret questioned. "Did someone take him?"

"We don't know yet," Sheriff Graham admitted. "His IVs were ripped out but there's no sign for sure there's a struggle."

"What did you do?!" Henry accused, staring Regina in the eyes furiously.

Lina instantly responded to Henry's hostility by nudging him sharply. "Not now," she hissed in a low whisper.

Regina's expression contorted into hurt, betrayal and confusion. She eyed Lina for a brief moment before turning her attention back to Henry. "You think I had something to do with this?"

"It _is _curious that the mayor is here," Emma pointed out before Henry could answer. Lina rolled her eyes. _Oh great. Let's stick up for Henry and make things even worse for us! _

"I'm here because I'm his emergency contact," Regina answered defensively.

"You know him?" Mary Margret interjected.

"I found him on the side of the road years ago with no ID," Regina explained. "I brought him here."

"Mayor Mill saved his life," Doctor Whale said as he entered the conversation, clipboard in tow.

"Will he be ok?" Miss Blanchard appealed to Doctor Whale in worry.

"Ok?" Dr. Whale scoffed. "The man's been on feeding tubes for years under constant supervision. He needs to get back here right away or, quite honestly, ok might be a pipe trip." Lina watched as Mary Margret's usually rosy cheeks paled considerably.

"Well, then let's quit yappin' and start looking," Emma suggested as she began to depart the room.

"That's what we're doing," Regina stopped her in an annoyed tone. "Just stay out of this dear," she advised. "And since I clearly can't keep you away from my children," she continued with a darker edge to her voice, "I guess I'm just going to have to keep them away from you," Regina finished, grabbing Henry by the hand and guiding him away. "Come along Angelina," she commanded in a way that left no room for argument.

As the trio neared closer to the door, closer to Emma, Angelina watched as Regina leaned close to Henry's birth mother. "Enjoy my shirt," Regina spoke softly, but clear enough to hear. "Because that's all you're getting." Emma glared at Regina, eyes narrowed furiously. Regina only but smirked to her reaction with satisfaction.

Meanwhile, Henry and Lina shared a "caught red handed" look. _So much for never noticing. _

"We stand corrected," Lina murmured as she passed Emma.

Before Henry, Lina and Mayor Mills left the room, Regina made one final comment. "Sheriff, find John Doe. You heard Doctor Whale. Time is precious."

The ride home was the most excruciatingly painful thing Angelina had had to experience in a while. The lack of conversation, the silence, was so evident that it consumed every inch of the car. Henry sat in the backseat and was, thankfully, smart enough to not bring out the book or speak. Regina's knuckles were white from clenching on to the steering wheel so tightly. Lina had resorted to twiddling her thumbs.

It was no surprise that when the car stopped in front of the Mills residence, Henry was the first to depart. Regina closed her eyes and sighed. After a moment's hesitation, Lina followed Henry, sending a withering look in Regina's direction.

Lina heard her mother fall in step behind her as she walked up the concrete pathway leading to the house. The clicking of her heels grew closer and closer, oddly making Lina's anxiety level rise. There was something about the way Regina walked that struck a vague sense of fear into Lina's heart. She could almost hear the woman's emotions surface with each strike her heels made into the ground, regardless of if the emotions were positive or negative.

Lina swept through the entry and began to make her way upstairs to her room. If Lina knew Henry at all, it was only a matter of time before the kid snuck out once again. And Lina was planning on joining him. Not that Lina wanted to deliberately disobey Regina. She just felt that the only way to ensure his safety was by being in his presence at all times. And good thing Henry didn't think poorly of Lina as he did Regina.

Lina was halfway up the staircase when her mother called to her.

"Angelina, can I talk to you for a minute?" Regina asked, shedding her coat and hanging it on the coat rack.

Lina paused and glanced over her shoulder at Regina. "Something tells me I don't get a say in the choice," she sighed, trudging her way back down to her mom's level.

"No, you don't," Regina agreed bluntly. She then gestured for Lina to follow her into the living room area, as to not have this conversation in a place where Henry could easily eavesdrop.

"Now," Regina started, taking a seat on the couch. "I need you to be honest with me."

"That might be hard," Lina replied sarcastically as she took a seat in the chair opposite of Regina. "Since I haven't been very open with you lately."

"This is precisely why I need to speak with you, dear," Regina sighed grudgingly, pinching the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger as she closed her eyes to clear her thoughts. Lina decided to keep her mouth shut and wait for her to continue.

"Is there something I should know about?" Regina stated simply, staring into Lina's soul with a penetrating gaze.

"No," Lina shrugged with a frown.

"Have I done something wrong?" Regina pressed, leaning onto her knees with her elbows, arms crossed. "Something that's turned you and your brother away from me? Because Henry has come to believe that I'm some Evil character in his book."

"The Evil Queen, I know," Lina rolled her eyes. "Just like Archie is Jiminy Cricket, Mary Margret is Snow White, the John Doe patient is Prince Charming, etc ,etc. And I know what you're going to say," Lina stopped Regina as she opened her mouth to say something. "I shouldn't be encouraging him, but what am I supposed to do? Look him in the eye and say you're wrong? You're insane? Believe me I've tried to talk some sense into him, but the kid's got this fairytale thing drilled into his mind. I can't tell him what and what not to believe."

"And you don't believe it?" Regina narrowed her eyes with an underlying glint of dismay.

"Me?" Lina scoffed. "Of course not!"

"So, you haven't been feeding him these ideas?" Regina continued skeptically.

"What?!" Lina shrieked. "Is that what this conversation is about? You think that _I'm_ telling him that you're the Evil Queen? That this town is under a curse and no one can remember who they are?"

"It's just so outlandish that surely someone had to-" Regina protested.

"Oh, get real, mom!" Lina spat. "Why would I go and paint a picture of you as the bad guy? Obviously, your relationship with Henry isn't the best right now, so why would you assume that I would sink that low and try to damage it even more? Do you think that poorly of me?"

"No!" Regina snapped irritatedly. "Of course not, Lina! I'm just trying to understand where this madness came from!"

Lina sighed upon realizing that she had flustered her mother. "Believe me...I am too..."

A small silence pursued.

"I'm sorry," Lina apologized, biting her lip in guilt.

"I'm sorry too," Regina admitted. "I didn't mean to imply anything."

"It's ok," Lina reassured. "It was only a logical conclusion." It was at times like these that Lina really did love Regina. Regina could be a bitch (obviously based on her interactions with Miss Swan). But there was something more beneath the cold, tough exterior she always held up. Something real and human.

"You know," Lina smiled lightly, "There isn't a day that goes by that I'm not grateful for everything you've done for me."

Regina, whose eyes had drifted about the room lazily, snapped to give full attention to Lina. Her expression softened as she watched the girl shyly stare at the floor as she continued to speak.

"And the way I acted in the kitchen the other day, when Henry was gone," Lina paused and met Regina's dark, enticing eyes. "You didn't deserve that," she concluded. "I apologize for my behavior. Nothing I ever say or do is to intentionally hurt you. And by the way, I haven't turned away from you."

Regina had nothing to say to that. She couldn't remember the last time Angelina had been so overly gentle and kind, handling Regina's emotions like glass. _I truly hope you find your happiness. _Regina shook her head to clear her thoughts.

"I know," she found herself speaking softly. "I accept your apology." Lina grinned slightly. Regina leaned over to place her hand on Angelina's knee in a loving gesture, responding with her own sincere smile.

_"God, her smile is dazzling_," Lina thought to herself. There was something so intriguing, enticing and intense about this woman. Lina supposed that it was the reason she lived with her, related to her and called her 'mom.'

"Well," Regina broke the silence, removing her hand from Lina's knee, "I have to go."

"Mayor-ly business to attend to?" Lina chuckled, mirroring Regina by standing up.

"Something like that," Regina answered with her own short laugh. She took a few steps closer to Lina and cupped her chin with her palm. "I trust you'll take care of Henry until I'm back," she said, searching Lina's crystal blue eyes for any sign of the Angelina she once knew. The one who had hated her with a passion. The one who had, in the end, given her approval of the curse, a miracle within itself.

"You can count on it," Lina confirmed.

Regina smiled her thanks, brushing a strand of hair away from Lina's face, then took her leave. Lina stood glued to the spot until she heard the front door open and close. Lina took a deep breath and left the room.

"Henry?!" she called loudly, holding her forehead with her hand while resting her other hand on her hips. "Henry, come down! Mom's gone!" No response. "Henry?" Lina called again, loosing some of the edge to her voice. She quickly swept up the stairs and approached Henry's door, which was cracked open.

"Henry?" Lina asked softly, gently easing the door open. She was met with an empty room. An empty room with the back window thrown wide open.

"Dammit," Lina grumbled, poking her head out the window in hopes of seeing Henry climbing down. No such luck.

"At least give it ten minutes before you leave!" Lina cried to no one but herself, exasperated. "What if mom would've come looking for you? Good lord..."

It was only a matter of seconds before Lina had descended the stairs, pulled on a coat and run out the front door, jogging to the hospital in hopes of finding Henry there.

But, as Lina had expected while approaching the hospital, Henry wasn't there. Nor was Emma, Mary Margret or Sheriff Graham. Which meant that Henry was probably with them searching for John Doe... Perfect!

Completely giving up on having any influence whatsoever in Henry's decision making, Lina left the hospital and decided to take a stroll under the setting sun. She was confident that by the end of the night, everyone would return to the hospital with either good or bad news. Lina hoped it would be good news regarding John Doe, but in this town...who knew?

Lina had a vague sense of awareness of where her feet carried her. Quite frankly, she didn't care. She needed time alone anyway. As she walked, she tried to remember the dream she'd had the night previous. It had been one of those dreams that, while experiencing it, she'd known it was important, but instantly upon waking up, it had disappeared into the locked file cabinets of her brain. It was just frustrating.

Lina played with the silver chain she wore around her neck. The copper hued ring attached dangled lazily as he twirled the chain around her fingers idly. She couldn't remember where the trinket had come from. She had always had it. Always wore it around her neck. She even remembered the time Regina had asked her about it. Lina hadn't had a response to how or when she'd acquired it. The necklace had just always...been there.

Lina milled about Storybrooke until it was dark outside, doing what she did best. Blending in. Unnoticeable. Unrecognizable. A chameleon. When she decided it was about time to mosey on back to the hospital, she was only a block from its location.

Thankfully, when she entered the hospital this time, Henry, Mary Margret, and Emma had all returned...with the John Doe patient...with a _wide awake _John Doe patient.

"Oh my god," Lina breathed. "What happened?"

"Lina!" Henry exclaimed happily, gesturing for her to come sit in the chair next to the one he occupied. "Where have you been?" he continued.

"Are you kidding me right now?" Lina scoffed. "Where have _you _been. _You're _the one who snuck out."

"You don't seem to worried about me though," Henry pointed out.

"I knew you were in good hands," Lina responded with a shrug, sending a smile to Emma. "So... what happened?" she asked Henry.

Henry hesitantly leaned closer to Lina and whispered, "John Doe had wandered off into the forest. When we found him he was unconscious. And then Mary Margret woke him up with a kiss."

"A kiss?" Lina raised her eyebrows. "Are you sure it wasn't just mouth to mouth?"

"I'm sure," Henry responded with a mischievous grin.

"Has he said anything, or explained who he is?" Lina continued.

"He can't remember," Mary Margret interjected sullenly, still watching the patient through the glass windows.

"Can't remember...anything? Not even his name?"

Henry shook his head. "But we already know who he is," he added as an afterthought.

"Right," Lina said through gritted teeth. "Prince Charming." Lina looked around at the lack of action then patted Henry on the shoulder. "Mission accomplished Henry. He's awake. He's safe. He's alive. But I won't be able to say the same for us unless we get home pronto."

"Yeah," Henry sighed tiredly. "Ok."

Lina and Henry were about to stand, say their goodbyes and depart when a blonde woman, tall, fairly striking and flustered, entered the room.

"David?" she called as she approached the glass windows hesitantly. "David!" she cried in relief. "David!" The woman rushed into the hospital room and embraced the man lying down in the hospital bed in relief and happiness.

"Well, guess his name's David," Lina stated bluntly.

"Who _is _that?" Mary Margret asked, dumbfounded at what was unfolding before her eyes.

Before anyone else could respond, another voice spoke, entering the room from the shadows of the hospital.

"His wife," she spoke. While everyone jumped at the voice, Lina closed her eyes in dismay, wanting to scream at the top of her lungs. _Regina. _Lina looked to Henry and saw that he was calm, not at all worried about her presence. How could Henry not realize how much trouble they were in? Twice in one day...

"His name is David Nolan," Regina continued, entering the full light of the room. "And that's his wife, Katherine. The joy on her face, well," she paused. "It's put me in quite the forgiving mood." Regina turned her attention to her children and Lina winced under her penetrating glare.

"We'll talk about your insubordination later," she said. "Do you know what insubordination means?" Regina asked them in a voice that belittled their intelligence. Henry shook his head indifferently.

Lina rolled her eyes. _"Yeah, it means we're screwed," _she grimaced.

"It means you two are grounded," Regina confirmed.

With a huff, Lina turned her attention away from the scene unfolding as Katherine entered the room, expressing her gratitude to Mary Margret and Emma for saving her beloved. She ignored everything around her, every voice, movement and person. The only thing she acknowledged was the burning rage building within her, directed toward the very woman who had taken her in and raised her.

She hated Regina. She hated her scheming, scrutinizing and combative wittiness. She hated the way her words belittled one into thinking they were nothing but specks of dirt. Lina's body tensed and her nails dug into the wood of her chair's arms as her vision glazed over.

_Angelina sharped the arrowhead with the blade of her knife. Her hands were cut and scabbed over from the harshness of the new lifestyle she'd adopted in the wilderness. But Angelina didn't mind. There was a greater purpose to the hardships she endured. The death of the Evil Queen. _

_She'd been stocking up for the past few weeks, effectively molding each stone she found into lethal, sharp weapons. She'd even found a discarded set of arrows and a bow not anymore than a few days ago. But she had made a promise to herself to save the luxurious set of arrows for the Queen. For when she raided the Queen's fortress. She wouldn't used Daniel's set of arrows to have a more ironic, symbolic message, but those arrows were dulling down, not as accurate nor as effective. _

_Angelina had improved vastly in the target sessions she'd created for herself. She had gotten to the point where she could hunt for food. A few months ago, it wouldn't have even been possible for her to shoot an arrow. But Angelina's heart had hardened. She'd had enough. _

_The time was growing near... find her... kill her... revenge... death... redemption... despair... triumph... disaster _

Henry noticed that something was wrong with Lina the moment she'd undergone a strange trance- like state. He'd wanted to shake her out of it, or ask her what was wrong, but at the same time, he didn't want to draw attention to the problem. Regina had also noticed Lina's odd submissiveness from afar. She watched Angelina curiously, knowing that something was up.

"His first instinct was to go find something, I guess," Dr. Whale was saying when Lina blinked and snapped out of her daze.

"Someone," Henry corrected, turning his attention away from Lina, implying that that _someone_ was Mary Margret. Lina nudged him to silence his input. A small , awkward silence pursued.

"Henry, Lina, let's go," Regina commanded. Lina didn't have to be told twice. Still a tad woozy, confused and disoriented from her small doze off, Lina brushed past Regina, avoiding eye contact with anyone, and exited the building as swiftly as possible.

When Lina reached the car, she found it to be locked. With a groan, she began pacing about it hastily. What _was _that? Oh, right...it was her dream from the night before. Now that that mystery was solved, what did it mean? As Lina mulled it over silently, she waited for her mom and Henry to arrive. It took a few minutes for Henry to show up, but Regina wasn't with him.

"Where's mom?" Lina asked as he stopped at the car.

"Talking to Emma," Henry shrugged.

"Bet that's going well," Lina grumbled. "And what took you so long?"

"I was talking to Miss Blanchard."

"About?"

"She can't believe what's going on in there. She _is _Snow White. David loves her. Not Katherine," Henry explained. There was a pause as brother and sister both leaned against the car, waiting for Regina to show.

"What was going on with you back there?" Henry questioned.

"Hm?" Lina responded, acting like she hadn't heard him.

"What happened to you in the hospital?" Henry repeated.

"Nothing," Lina shrugged.

"I'm not stupid," Henry whined. "You completely zoned out. Why?"

"I was just...thinking about a dream I had last night," Lina shrugged. And that wasn't a lie...technically.

"A dream?" Henry's ears perked. "What kind of dream? What happened?"

"Oh I don't know," Lina brushed it aside. "I was...sharpening an arrow and...It was just a dream I had last night, Henry. No big deal."

"Arrows? Like bow and arrows?" Henry asked, getting a little too excited for Lina's liking. She nodded. "Was there a forest in your dreams?" he continued.

"Now that you mention it," Lina thought inquisitively. "Yeah, there was."

"Have you had more than one?"

"Everyone has more than one dream when they're sleeping, Henry," Lina replied uneasily. Where was he going with this?

"You're remembering!" Henry exclaimed happily.

"Woah! Remembering what?" Lina jumped at his sudden outburst.

"Your fairytale life!" Henry laughed happily. "This is amazing! Do you remember any of your other dreams?"

"Henry, calm down!" Lina instructed. But she couldn't stop him. He was gushing, knowing that all his accusations and theories were 100% correct.

"You're breaking the rules of the curse! You're remembering! You're an exception!" Words tumbled out of Henry's mouth.

"An exception to what?" Regina interrupted, eyebrows raised in a questioning arch at her two children.

"Nothing," Lina responded, perhaps a bit too quickly. She gave Henry a warning look, as if he would start talking in the presence of the _Evil Queen._ Something inside Lina stirred at that thought. Regina gave Lina a look that clearly said she didn't believe them, which is why Lina avoided her gaze at all costs, focusing on Henry and his backpack.

"Let's just...go home," Lina suggested, opening the car door and quickly seating herself in the passenger's seat. It was going to be a _long _ride home.

_**A/N: Not gonna lie... didn't really proofread this so sorry if the grammar is majorly bad. Who's stoked for the Evil Queen episode tomorrow?! Cuz I am! Evil Regals unite! Lol! Poor baby! I swear..no one on that show understands where Regina's coming from... This show's gonna kill me... especially the electric shock thing...good god. Anyway, please continue to read, review and follow/ favorite! I'm loving the response so far. Please keep it up to keep me motivated! **_


	4. Chapter 4: The Price of Gold

_**Author's Note: My Regina feels are shot right now...If you don't know why, go watch sneek peak #5 for today's finale...Thank goodness I had finished this update before I watched that. Otherwise, this wouldn't have been up for a while. While I go cry in a corner, please enjoy this chapter. I appreciate all the responses I get for this fanfic. And, honestly, this chapter was really fun to write, because it is almost all original dialogue. Please review if you're as anxious and nervous as I am about today! I want to know I'm not the only one dying here...** _

_Angelina stared at her reflection in the mirror, unable to recognize the girl staring back at her. As the Evil Queen Regina had promised, Angelina had been given her own wing of the castle, including a library of books, her own chambers, own bathing facility as well as her own regal wardrobe. Tonight, the queen had requested her presence for dinner, meaning that Angelina was required to dress for the occasion. A palace servant had suggested a velvet royal blue dress with a round neckline that draped elegantly around the waist and hips. There were embellishments adorning the abdominal area of the dress, and the shoes were far less uncomfortable than they looked. _

_Although Angelina did look beautiful, an obvious step up from the rags she had worn the majority of her existence, she also felt ridiculous and out of place. This was probably the queen's form of entertainment, dressing up a scullery rat in the finest materials and riches all around. She would laugh as soon as Angelina entered the dining hall. _

_That's what the dominant part of Angelina was telling her. It also urged her to remain where she was, refuse to arrive at the dinner table and be as stubborn as possible, despite the consequences. However, there was a sliver of her that probed within the confines of her emotional excuse of a heart. That sliver encouraged Angelina to leap at the chance to get to know the cold, heartless woman who ruled the kingdom. To pinpoint the methods behind her madness and discover where her rage lied. To dig up the bones of her past and try to uncover the small portion of the humanity that Angelina had seen in Regina's eyes in the dungeon a few weeks ago._

_Remarkably, the small sliver of Angelina's heart won out the rest. So, when an escort entered her room, instructing her to follow, Angelina merely but nodded and obeyed the command. One thing was for sure; this was going to be an interesting night. _

_**The Price of Gold. The Price of Gold. The Price of Gold. **_

"I must be insane," Lina muttered to herself as she stood at the doorway of Mr. Gold's pawn shop. The dreams had unleashed full blown the night previous. Of course, Lina hadn't told anyone about them. Henry would have gone off about how this all the more proved she was a fairytale character, asking and dissecting each vision she'd seen. And who knows what Regina would say. Angelina couldn't even remember what had occurred in the dreams. The only thing she took from the dreams was an overwhelming sense of stress and sorrow. There was a void in her brain where memory of the dreams should have been. Which is what brought her to Mr. Gold's doorstep.

She hoped that the most powerful man in the town would have some sort of sleep remedy, or dreamless sleep draught, even a dreamcatcher to keep her from experiencing the feelings attached to the dreams ever again. It sounded stupid, but Lina legitimately believed that Mr. Gold would be able to help. Willingly...that was another predicament all together.

Taking a deep breath, Lina pushed on the door to the shop and quietly crept her way in.

"I was wondering how much longer you would be standing there," Mr. Gold spoke from behind a counter, tucked away in the corner of the room, polishing what looked like a small metal globe. Lina jumped at his voice. Actually, she was pretty sure she wouldn't have noticed him if he hadn't have spoken. He didn't look up as he spoke. "I was beginning to think you changed your mind and weren't coming in."

Lina swallowed. "You, ah, knew I was there the whole time?"

"Of course I did, dearie," Mr. Gold chuckled. He looked up and met Lina's eye was a calculating smile. "What can I do for you, Angelina? Or do you have another message from the mayor?"

Lina didn't know why, but Mr. Gold, apart from Regina, was the only other person that called her by her full name. Lina was too simplistic for his liking. Or maybe there was something more to it...

"No. No message," Lina hesitated while cautiously taking a few steps closer to Mr. Gold, who continued polishing the globe. "I was actually hoping you could help me with something."

"Oh?" Mr. Gold raised his eyebrows curiously at Lina.

"Only if you're willing," Lina assured quickly.

"Well that depends on with what you need assistance," Mr. Gold quipped.

Taking this as the invitation to launch into her story, Lina sighed and began to pace about the room, idly toying with certain objects strewn across the countertops.

"Well...I've been having these dreams recently. Odd dreams. Dreams that make no sense at all. They happen both when I sleep and throughout the day. But they emerge more profoundly when I sleep." Lina took the opportunity to glance at Mr. Gold. He was watching Lina with keen interest, his dark eyes lit up with fiery intrigue.

Lina awkwardly looked away and forced herself to continue. "I can't stop thinking about them. And it's not that I want to forget them, but I just want it to stop."

"I still don't understand where I come into all of this," Gold interrupted.

"Look," Lina licked her lips nervously. "I know this sounds stupid, and saying it aloud only makes me feel more like an idiot for even asking, but I was wondering if you have anything to stop the dreams. Like a remedy or a dreamless sleep draught or something."

"What makes you think I would have anything of the sort?" Mr. Gold chuckled darkly with amusement.

Lina visually bristled before answering. "You own a pawn shop that has some very _peculiar and interesting_ items. You're also the most powerful man in Storybrooke. It isn't a far cry to infer you'd have remedies and medicines in your possession," she finished with a shrug.

"Sounds to me like who you need to see is a doctor," Mr. Gold responded snarkily.

"No," Lina spoke firmly. "Because then Regina would find out."

"Why come to me?" Mr. Gold asked, setting aside the globe he had polished.

"You're the only one in this town that she doesn't have a hold on," Lina responded. Mr. Gold regarded her response and nodded his head in contemplation.

"Let me ask you something," he finally spoke. "Do your dreams hold truth?"

"Truth?" Lina repeated uncertainly. Mr. Gold nodded encouragingly. Truth...truth... that was a large concept. Truth in a way that they'd actually happened? Or truth that they held a key to unlocking the bare emotions Lina held close to her heart? After a moments thought, Lina answered.

"They hold truth but no logic."

Mr. Gold's expression visually lightened. Satisfied with the answer, he smiled thinly. "Let me see what I can do. Follow me," he commanded with the beckoning of a finger.

Lina sighed a sigh of relief and hurried after Mr. Gold to the back room of his shop. She inspected all the items as she followed. She never understood why Mr. Gold preferred for the shop to look so cluttered. She supposed it added to the allure of the place.

"Where did you ever acquire all this?" Lina spoke as Mr. Gold trifled through some shelves that held boxes.

"What?" he momentarily stopped. "The objects in the shop?" Lina nodded in confirmation. Mr. Gold slid a box off the shelf and set it down on a table. "It all found its way to me, not the other way around, dearie. Each item has special value and meaning."

"Special value and meaning...to you?" Lina pushed.

"To the people it once belonged to," Mr. Gold answered with ease. "And as much as I'd love to explain each item's origins, let's get back to this," he diverted the situation but bringing a vial into Lina's vision.

"Is that...?" Lina left the question hanging in the air.

"It is a serum that will erase the occurence of your dreams," Mr. Gold confirmed.

"How does it work?" Lina asked as she plucked the small vial from his fingertips and inspected the milky hued liquid within.

"Magic," Mr. Gold smirked mischievously.

"Yeah, right," Lina laughed in spite of herself.

"Find that funny, do you?" Mr. Gold teased with an underlying dig in the question. As if he was talking to someone who had no idea what they were saying. "You don't believe in forces greater than you can comprehend?"

Lina gave him an odd look. "I suppose I do..." she said, mostly so that the conversation wouldn't take a turn into uncharted waters. Who knew what discussion could lead to when it came to Mr. Gold. "So... I just drink it and that's it?" Lina ignored Mr. Gold's inquisitive stare.

"Take one sip a night for the next week," Mr. Gold instructed. "It will works better and lasts longer when you space out the dosages."

"So it won't last forever?"

"Nothing lasts forever, Angelina," Mr. Gold smiled knowingly. It unnerved Lina, but she forced herself to smile back.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Gold," Lina expressed her gratitude. "What do I owe you?" she quipped quickly, as if it was expected that the man before her was now to ask something ungruelingly risky and hazardous of her.

"Whatever do you mean?" Mr. Gold played dumb.

"Everything comes with a price with you," Lina spoke as if she was on autopilot. She'd heard the phrase many times before in Mr. Gold's presence. "Name it. What is it?"

Mr. Gold eyed Lina for a few seconds before answering. The girl had adopted many of Regina's mannerisms from all the time she'd spent with the woman. The confident stance, the calculating stare, the pursing of the lips, the small smirk always playing at the corners of the mouth. Oh, there were so many things he could ask of this young girl. Many indeed. But, for whatever the reason, he decided against it. Spite was enough for him.

"Consider this a complimentary gift," he said instead.

"Really?" Lina gave him a condescending stare. "I don't believe you."

"Believe it or not," Mr. Gold spoke with mild annoyance, "I will not ask anything of you. Not now, not in the future."

Lina's eyes narrowed accusingly. Since when did Mr. Gold do anything for anyone for nothing in exchange? "Alright," she spoke, not at all convinced. "Thank you, again, Mr. Gold. I appreciate your help."

"It was my pleasure," Mr. Gold assured with a smile that carried Lina out the door as quickly as possible.

As she walked home, Lina couldn't help but think what the hell the man had just given her.

_**Dining with the Queen. Dining with the Queen. Dining with the Queen. **_

_"I must say," the Queen spoke from across the table, taking a small sip of the wine her servants had continuously provided for her throughout the whole duration of the meal. "I'm quite surprised at your placidity this evening." _

_Angelina had sensed the queen watching her every move all throughout the sitting. In many ways, Angelina was uneasy because of this, never meeting the queen's eye, making an overly large effort to divert her attention to anything but the woman sitting across from her. _

_"Is the silence unnerving to you, my queen?" Angelina asked in a sardonic, mocking tone, meeting Regina's gaze for the first time that night. _

_"Not at all," she replied with equal combativeness. "However, I am quite disappointed that you've yet to try the apple tart." The queen smiled vexingly as she witnessed Angelina's face drain to a pale white. _

_"With all due respect, your majesty," Angelina adopted a stern look. "Given my recent encounter with the fruit, I'd rather not savor one." _

_"I assumed as much," the queen leered. "Yet, you must have had a certain liking for apples before you tasted mine. The way you climbed that tree to reach it was reminiscent of a child." The Evil Queen stared at Angelina with a curious gleam in her eye. "Did your family-?"_

_"I see what you're trying to do here," Angelina cut her off, not willing to discuss the family that the queen herself had callously destroyed. "Regretfully, I am not one to discuss my upbringing or my personal life," Angelina's words dripped with sarcasm. _

_The Queen gave no indication offense of being shut out by Angelina. If anything, her unwillingness to speak only drew Regina to the girl even more. "It seems as though we have something in common," Regina stated, tracing the outer rims of her plate of food that had hardly been touched. _

_Angelina's ears perked at this statement. So the queen didn't like to discuss personal information as well. It made sense. But the idea of sharing a common characteristic with someone as malicious and devious as the Evil Queen was enough to make Angelina's stomach churn. _

_"Hopefully the only thing we have in common," she groused. Whether or not the queen had heard Angelina's comment was never addressed, for Queen Regina continued to badger the girl with more questions. _

_"Tell me, Angelina. Have you any friends? Companions?" _

_Angelina rolled her eyes in annoyance before responding. "If my bow and arrows count, then yes." The queen gave her an odd look, something on the verge of tribulation and perplexion. "I've lived a rather solitary existence," Angelina explained in retribution. _

_The queen breathed deeply, and Angelina could have sworn that she heard her whisper something beneath her breath. Something that sounded a lot like, "And that's two similarities." _

_"If we're going to indulge in conversation," Angelina drawled in a tone vaguely similar to the queen's, "It would only be fair for me to ask a few questions of my own..." She met the queen's eye innocently. _

_Regina paused momentarily before shrugging. "I don't see why not," she agreed. _

_"Excellent," Angelina smiled thinly. "Do you have parents?" _

_"Of course I do," the queen scoffed. "Everyone does, dear. Or have you not been taught" _

_"Not what I meant," Angelina snapped. "Are they alive? Do they live here with you?" The queen gave no indication of answering. Angelina exhaled softly in frustration. "Look, if we're going to hold a conversation, we might as well let our guards down and talk. I'm willing to if you are." _

_Queen Regina regarded Angelina warily for a brief moment while the girl waited expectantly for her to speak._

_"My father lives here, in the castle," the queen finally gave in. "And my mother...does not." Regina took a large sip of her wine. Angelina thought about digging deeper than that, for there was a bitter edge to the queen's voice when she spoke of her mother, but she figured it would be too invasive. _

_"I believe it is my turn," the queen said, shaking Angelina out of her thoughts. _

_"So it is," Angelina responded with a small smile. "What would you like to know?" Perhaps the night wouldn't turn out so terrible after all. _

_**The Price of Gold. The Price of Gold. The Price of Gold. **_

"I know you think otherwise," Regina spoke from the entry hall as she applied a plum shade of lipstick to her lips. "But I don't enjoy these Saturday City Council meetings. Sometimes they're just unavoidable."

Lina didn't look up from her book when Regina entered the room. In fact, she didn't even hear the clicking of her heels as they echoed off the walls. Lina was drowsy and tired, exhausted as a part of the aftereffects of the serum Mr. Gold had given her. Lina was sure that the conniving man had left the side effects out on purpose. And they were taking a toll on Lina.

"Now, you know the rules," Regina stated sternly, directing most of her attention to Henry.

Henry placed the comic book he read down onto the table like a businessman diverting his attention from his newspaper to a client. "Yes on homework, no on TV and stay inside," he listed like he'd been told many times before. "Right Lina?"

Although Lina didn't hear him, she knew that she was being addressed due to the brief silence that followed. She looked up hastily from the paragraph she'd read over and over again and still hadn't digested yet. "Right," she swallowed, hoping that that made sense.

"Good boy," Regina smiled admiringly at her son. She cupped his chin lovingly with a genuine smile. "Under no circumstance do you two leave this house," she instructed.

"You mean don't see my mom," Henry rebutted harshly. Regina backed away as if the words had physically punched her in the face. Lina instantly kicked Henry from underneath the table to silence him from saying anything more. He winced but didn't open his mouth anymore. Why couldn't he just keep his mouth shut?

"She's _not _your mother," Regina sneered defensively. "She's just a woman passing through. Now do what I say or there will be consequences," she warned as she turned her back on her children and made a headway for the door.

"I'll be back at five sharp," Regina called over her shoulder before the door closed behind her.

It took all of a few seconds for Henry to jump up and gather his belongings. "You coming?" he asked.

"Where?" Lina narrowed her eyes curiously.

"To see Emma," he pointed out as if it was obvious.

Lina repressed a groan and set down her book. "I don't think I'll join in on this Operation Cobra business today, squirt."

"Why?" Henry asked, curiosity and hurt combined in his voice.

"I'm not feeling too good," Lina admitted quickly.

Henry absorbed that answer and did a quick evaluation of Lina. "You really don't look to good," he offered in agreeance.

"Gee, thanks," Lina laughed sarcastically. "I don't care if you hang out with Emma," she added truthfully. "But you need to watch what you say to Mom. Being defiant will only make her more strict on the both of us."

"But she's-"

"The Evil Queen, I know," Lina groaned. "But _she's _the woman that raised you for ten years. So please, show a little respect. Understood?"

Henry looked as if he was going to argue, but to Lina's surprise, he nodded resolutely in compliance. "I'll try."

"That's all I ask," Lina smiled, clapping Henry's shoulder. "Ok," she sighed. "You can go." Instantly, Henry leaped up and bounded for the door. "Be careful and be home before 5!" Lina yelled after him as he burst out the door. She wasn't sure if he had heard or not, or even cared for that matter, but Lina was content to have the house to herself for the day. She needed a day to herself. And first on the agenda was sleep.

_**The Price of Gold. The Price of Gold. The Price of Gold. **_

_"How did you learn to shoot a bow and arrow?" _

_"Like anything else...practice." _

_"Did you have an instructor?" the queen relentlessly pursued. _

_"Ummm.." Angelina trailed off into her own train of thought. "Not really. When I was a child, Daniel..." her throat closed and she found herself unable to continue. The Queen's interest increased upon hearing the mention of Daniel's name. Angelina gave no indication of continuing. _

_"Go on..." Regina urged gently with a soft expression. _

_Angelina sighed and bit her lip in contemplation. "There are some things that aren't worth mentioning your majesty," she whispered audibly. An uncomfortable silence settled over the two. Angelina's eyes stung with tears threatening to spill while Regina stared off into space, consumed with thoughts of a tragic love story in the forefront of her mind. _

_"How close were you...with Daniel?" the queen broke the silence a bit dreadfully. _

_Angelina looked to the woman in surprise. She had the same expression across her flawless features that she had expressed in the dungeon weeks prior to this night. The queen was expressing sorrow. She regretted Daniel's death...but why? _

_"I'll only answer that if you answer something for me," Angelina sighed, regaining her composure. Regina only but waited patiently for Angelina to carry forward. _

_"Why did you kill him?" Angelina asked in the steadiest voice she could muster. _

_Regina flinched at the directness of the question. Why was this girl so certain that_ she _was the one who killed Daniel? The queen's jaw tightened and her eyes flickered with a whirlwind of emotions occurring all at once. She huffed uncomfortably at the accusation and released a small smile. _

_"Perhaps there_ are _some topics better off not mentioned," she admitted in a small voice not suitable for a queen. _

_Even though Angelina felt an odd sense of pity for the woman, the more dominant part of her was furious, frustrated and exasperated that the queen always seemed to avoid justifying the murder of Daniel. Why wouldn't she just tell Angelina? At this point, a heartless, "I never loved him," would be more satisfying than the uncertainty. However, Angelina doubted that was the case. There was too much compassion and sorrow in the queen's eyes for that to be possible. _

_"I hope you know this doesn't change anything," Angelina spoke in a cold tone. _

_"Pardon?" Regina's vulnerability vanished just as quickly as it had appeared. _

_"Dining with you," Angelina went on to explain, tracing the rim of her wine goblet with her fingertips. "Civilly sharing a meal. Courteousy won't make me hate you any less." _

_The Queen laughed in such a way that disarmed Angelina of her coy demeanor. "Who said that this was a courteous gesture?" _

_Confused and taken aback, Angelina narrowed her eyes at the Evil Queen. What was she playing at? Why had she called for this arranged meal? Had the food been poisoned or drugged? No...Angelina had been sure to check with each bite taken. Then what...? _

_Suddenly, it hit her faster than the strike of lightening. _

_"Don't tell me now that this whole thing was a test!" she growled through a clenched jaw._

_"Of course it was, dear," Regina flashed her pearly white teeth in a condescending smile. "Surely you figured that out."_

_"Why?!" Angelina barked. _

_"I had to see if I could trust you," the queen responded as if it was the most obvious answer in the world._

_It was then that Angelina noticed all the armory and weaponry dawning the room. Albeit, it was a part of the decor of the dining area, but the presence of all the different items that Angelina could have used against the queen suddenly became overwhelming and oppressive. Her head throbbed and her heart pounded. There were no knights or guards anywhere in sight. Only servants. It had all been laid out for her to succeed if she'd taken the bait. Why hadn't she noticed this earlier?! In pure anger and bewilderment, Angelina slammed her fork into the table and used all of her strength to pulverize it against the table. She shook as her muscles strained. She felt the fork's form bend and compress beneath her palm, and didn't stop until the utensil snapped in half upon the table with a loud, abrupt thud. Angelina gasped and blinked stupidly for a brief moment, shocked at what she'd just done._

_"Now, now, dear," the queen crooned mockingly. "That was silver. "_

_And now the Evil Queen was mocking her. Angelina glowered at the woman, giving her a look that could kill. _

_"Now you listen, and you listen well," she snarled, leaning into the table as her hands gripped the ledge. The queen cocked her head inquisitively at Angelina's sudden change of heart. "Do not take this night as a way of things to come. You can __**never**__ trust me. If the opportunity arises to betray you, I will. If I'm ever given the change to kill you, I'll take it. You made a big mistake allowing me into this castle. I __**will **__have my vengeance."_

_Regina regarded the girl for a few moments, pursing her lips and arching her eyebrow in a daring manner. At last, after a tense pause, she spoke. _

_"These are all trivial matters I am very aware of," she said with an amused grin. "That is why I want you. However," she raised herself upright and began to slowly prowl to Angelina's seat. "You could afford to learn a few manners." With a quick snap of her fingers, the queen magically bound Angelina to her seat. _

_Angelina struggled to free herself as soon as she became aware of the restrictive presence of the invisible binds. Regina continued to approach her, her stance threatening and demeaning. Once standing before the flustered girl, the brunette grabbed at young girl's chin with her thumb and forefinger, forcing Angelina to stare into her eyes. _

_"Don't forget who you are dealing with," she warned slyly. And before Angelina could open her mouth to rebut, the queen had her whisked away to her chambers in a billowing cloud of purple. _

_Angelina was shocked to see her surroundings change so quickly. A mere second ago, the queen had stood before her, and now, she stood in her room, quiet and alone. Fuming and seething. _

_This was it. No more games. Angelina was going to confront Regina again, right here, right now, and end this. Regardless of if she died, Angelina was going to end her misery right now. Stalking towards her door, purpose and determination, wrath and acrimony clouding her better judgement, Angelina took hold of the doorknob and pushed on the large wooden doors. No movement. She tried a bit harder. The doors wouldn't budge. She was locked in. _

_How dare that woman confine her? How dare she ask questions about Daniel? How dare she feign concern for Angelina's life? How dare she absolutely ruin all of Angelina's logic and drive?_

_Angelina hated her. Hated her with all her being. Queen Regina was pure evil. Malicious, calculating and cold. And now, Angelina was doomed to spend the rest of her days in this dark, looming castle with the one woman she couldn't stand. _

_Feeling hopeless and vulnerable, Angelina pounded on the door, screaming and crying out all her frustrations and sorrows. She cried for Daniel. She cried for her family. She cried for loss of innocence. She cried for herself. _

_She continued until her knuckles were raw and bleeding. And even then, the tears wouldn't stop pouring. She crumpled to the floor in a heap, feeling more lost and child like than she ever had in her entire life. She curled into a ball and continued to weep quietly to herself. _

_Why was life so harsh? Why did every possible scenario she entered end with the worse results? What was her other alternative? Death? At this point, death would come willingly. At this point, that's all Angelina wanted. Death and peace of mind. Death and the presence of her departed family. Take it all away. Nothing could be worse than the cards she'd been dealt. _

_Angelina's cries echoed throughout the corridors of the castle until the late night when she eventually cried herself to sleep against the door. Unbeknownst to her, Regina listened from around the corner as the young girl's emotions played out, shedding a few afflicted tears of her own at Angelina's distress. _

_**Take it all away. Take it all away. Take it all away. **_

4:55.

Lina paced about the house, nervous as hell. Her nap had been fairly beneficial, but where was Henry? What if he wasn't home in time? What would she do to cover? Lina ran her fingers through her hair and released a breath as she went to the window to look for any sign of Henry and Emma or Regina. None. Lina waited for what seemed like hours, when in reality it was only a few minutes.

4:59

The door burst open. At this point, Lina was on the verge of an anxiety attack. Therefore, when the door opened unexpectedly, Angelina jumped and expected the worst.

"Lina?!" a boy's voice called.

"Oh my god," Lina exhaled in relief, rushing to meet the voice at the entry. "Henry!" Sight of her brother and his backpack confirmed the assumption.

"Are you kidding me right now?!" she hissed semi- angrily. "You cut it _way _too close, kid."

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry!" Henry apologized, holding his hands up in a surrender.

"Sorry's not gonna cut it! Mom's gonna be home any minute!" Lina snapped. She opened her mouth to continue, then paused as she heard clicking outside of the now shut door. Clicking in time of steps. The clicking of heels. Lina knew that sound anywhere. Regina. "Or now," she squeaked. Coming to her senses, she shooed Henry away.

"Go! Go! Get upstairs!" she urged. Henry instantly complied, sweeping up the stairs in a hurry. "Act like you've been reading or something! Dammit, you dropped your shoe!" Lina called after him. But it didn't matter. Henry didn't pick it up, for the front doorknob was beginning to click and turn open.

"Shit..." Lina grumbled as she ran as fast as her feel could carry her to the kitchen. Her main goal: make it look like she'd been doing something besides fretting over Henry. She quickly pulled out leftover lasagna from the night previous and shoved it into the oven. Swiftly setting the dial to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, she jumped back from the appliance just in time for Regina to peek into the room.

She studied Angelina for a few brief moments, then asked,"Where's Henry?"

"Nice to see you too, Mom," Angelina answered coolly. However, Regina looked in no mood to be playing games. "Upstairs reading," Lina sighed. Regina nodded slowly, calculatingly, as if measuring how plausible the answer was before leaving. Once the woman left, Lina released a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding.

_"From now on," _she promised herself._ "I'm going to go with Henry whenever he sneaks out. If he continues to leave solo, it would only a matter of time until Mom found out. He needs my backup." _

And that's what Lina continually reminded herself the rest of the evening. No one deserved to be alone in matters such as this.

_**Later...**_

"So what fun filled adventure did you and Emma embark on today?" Lina teased as she sat next to Henry of his bed.

"We saved a girl from having to give up her baby to Mr. Gold," Henry responded dutifully.

"Okay..." Lina drawled with her eyebrows raised. "Not the answer I was expecting... How'd you two manage that?"

"Emma made a deal with Mr. Gold," Henry sighed regretfully. "She owes him a favor." He looked at Lina from the corners of his eyes. "Have you ever made a deal with Mr. Gold?"

Lina paused before answering. _Well there was that sleep draught...but does that really count? _"No," Lina concluded. "Can't say that I have."

The two, brother and sister, sat silently for a few minutes, lost in their own trains of thought. But it wasn't an uncomfortable silence. More of an understanding one. Despite not being related by blood, they were siblings. They loved and trusted each other just as blood related siblings did. They laughed and joked, argued and fought and simply enjoyed each other's company.

It wasn't until later that Regina Mills came to check on her two children. What she found warmed her heart.

Both Henry and Angelina lay sprawled out upon Henry's bed, fully clothed and fast asleep. Henry's arm was wrapped around Lina's torso and Lina's hand sat on top of his. Regina thought about waking them to put on their pajamas and sleep in their own rooms, but she didn't have the heart to. Instead, she placed a kiss upon each of their foreheads, turned off the light and cracked the door open (for Henry's sake, of course). She left with a small smile playing upon the corners of her lips, knowing that her children were compatible and loved each other. That had been Regina's greatest fear when adopting Henry. She had been terrified that the two wouldn't get along well. Although she'd known it for a long time, Regina fell asleep confident that the two were, not only siblings, but best friends.

_**A/N: The rags to riches part with the queen reminded me of the Cinderella story presented in the 4th episode if you're wondering where that came from. ;) **_


	5. Chapter 5: That Still Small Voice

**_A/N: My, my, my! It has been FAR too long since I've updated. I am SOOOOO beyond all words sorry for those of you who are following the story. I have no excuse. Hopefully, the length of this chapter makes up for my lack of updates. On another note, a lot has happened in the Once fandom since I last updated. Part of me wants to get into all of it, but I'll leave you with this... The season finale was spectacular and I CAN'T WAIT for season 3. More Regina (Lana) and more Henry (Jared) is always a good thing. On another other note, (does that make sense?) I finally learned how to make scene change lines! Thank goodness! Alright, enough rambling... Enjoy! _**

When Angelina opened her eyes, it was six o'clock in the morning. She was still wrapped in Henry's grasp as he snuggled her close to him. Lina hadn't even remembered falling asleep, let alone in Henry's room. She hadn't even taken her daily dosage of the serum Mr. Gold had given her before falling asleep. However, she hadn't had any dreams while sleeping, so she figured she was safe taking her dosage as soon as she got up to halt any future dilemmas.

Being mindful of Henry's sleeping form beside her, Lina disentangled herself from him and crept out of his room as stealthily as she could. Only after the door shut behind her did she allow herself to breathe. Six in the morning on a Sunday meant that Regina had already left home to her office. Which also meant Lina and Henry had the house to themselves. Lina took this opportunity to cook breakfast most Sundays. She'd ventured to omelettes, French toast, all kinds of muffins, scones, even breakfast casseroles reminiscent of bread pudding. Some of them had turned out well, others...not so much. But when all else failed, she resorted to her staple. Apple pancakes.

And that was exactly what Angelina planned to cook for Henry and herself that morning. Henry loved them. She loved them. And Lina had to admit, she was close at mastering the recipe to replicate Granny's. Regina had even said so, and she was the pickiest person ever when it came to her pancakes. And so, Lina moseyed her way down to the kitchen, still groggy and tired despite getting almost twelve hours of sleep.

Lina was disappointed that her mother had failed to keep their stock of instant pancake batter replenished. She was forced to make them from scratch. Of course, they tasted better from scratch, but it didn't really make that big a difference to Lina or Henry. The best part was the homemade Apple Cinnamon Syrup that lathered the pancakes. With the syrup present, the difference between instant and scratch was slight. Maybe not to Regina, but still...

Lina was well into thickening the syrup by simmering it on the stove when Henry walked in, rubbing his eyes and attempting to smooth his bed head. His face visually lit up when he saw what Lina was busy cooking.

"I thought I smelled those!" he chirped, hopping over to the counter. "We haven't had these in a long time."

"It's only been a few weeks," Lina chuckled, stirring the syrup in the skillet. "But, I agree. Thought it was about time we indulged in them again."

Lina began stirring in apples she had thinly sliced and diced. Henry frowned while she did so, knowing that the apples had come from his mother's tree at her office. Lina caught his expression out of the corner of her eye but decided not to comment on it. It was odd... Apples had used to be Henry's favorite fruit. That is, until he had become convinced that Regina was the Evil Queen from that stupid Snow White story from his book of fairy tales.

Lina sighed as she took the skillet off the stove. "Get a plate of pancakes from the oven so I can pour this on," she instructed Henry. He happily obliged and surprised Lina by bringing out both plates instead of just his. Then, without further adieu, Lina began pouring the thick, sugary syrup on the pancakes. Henry eyed the platter hungrily while the syrup oozed on top of the stack of pancakes. When Lina had poured the last of the topping on the pancakes, Henry snatched a plate and quickly began devouring his breakfast.

"Good to know you're still a fan of my cooking," Lina laughed before digging into her own plate. To that, Henry grinned through a mouthful of food. They ate in silence for a few moments until Lina spoke.

"I was actually hoping I could talk to you about something," Lina continued, looking down at her plate.

"Yeah? About what?" Henry placed his fork down to show Lina that she had his undivided attention.

"Would you agree that you cut it close yesterday? With mom coming in right after you did?" Lina responded with her own question.

"Yeah, I guess," Henry shrugged. "But I didn't get caught!"

"No, you didn't," Lina agreed. "But if it continues like this, it won't be long before you do. Before WE do."

"So what do you propose?" Henry asked, sounding ridiculously official.

"I think it would benefit us both if I tagged along with you wherever you go," Lina suggested. "That way, I can keep track of the time, unlike Emma Swan, and..." Lina took her gaze off of Henry's face and looked down to her hands, slightly wringing them. "And I can learn more about Operation Cobra," she finished hesitantly.

Henry's smile widened when he heard this. "You really believe me?!"

"I don't know what I believe," Lina admitted. "But I will say, some of what you say is plausible. Maybe not all of it, but..."

"Does this have something to do with those visions you've had?" Henry interjected.

"Visions?"

"From your past life in Fairytale Land," Henry clarified. "Your dreams!"

"They're just dreams, Henry," Lina spoke bluntly, tossing her fork on her plate and getting up to wash it clean. Henry frowned at her sudden change of demeanor, but didn't push the issue, knowing the facts would come out in due time.

"So what's on the agenda for today?" Lina asked over the running sink water.

"I think it's about time we get Archie on board with Operation Cobra," Henry mused in response, taking a few more bites of his pancakes.

"Why Archie?" Lina raised her eyebrows.

"He's kind of a voice of reason," Henry justified. "Besides, he knows everything!"

"Well, you have a session with him tonight, so..." Lina stately lamely.

"Exactly," Henry confirmed. "I can talk to him about it when I see him."

"Sounds like a plan," Lina agreed. "Finished?" she added, nodding towards Henry's almost bare plate.

"Yeah," Henry handed Lina the remnants of his breakfast.

"So until that time, what do you want to do?" Lina prodded. Henry pensively juggled the options for a few moments, then grinned when a thought occurred to him.

"Would you be opposed to a movie day?"

"Not at all," Lina beamed in response.

* * *

_Angelina leaned over the ledge of the balcony outside her chambers, overlooking the Enchanted Forest, cheeks streaked with fallen tears. Her hands gripped the edge so tightly that her knuckles were pale from strain. She desperately tried to keep the on pouring emotions from overflowing her mental state, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't maintain her composure. The frigid, cold breeze brutally slapping at her face, only encouraged her even more to do what she was thinking of..._

_It had been a few weeks since the dinner from hell with the Queen. And ever since, Angelina was either locked up in her wing of the castle, or escorted around by a trio of the queen's guards. Angelina had stopped trying to overpower them after her first few attempts of escape. She hadn't seen much of Regina since their dining episode. She was too busy waging a war against Snow White and Prince Charming, but Angelina liked it that way. The less she saw of the Evil Queen, the better._

_However, the lack of interaction with others besides the guards left Angelina to her own thoughts the majority of the time. Which was very dangerous. For within her mind, a hurricane whirled. She was losing it more and more with each passing day. She fought to get through each night. Visions of her family had become overbearing the past few weeks. Angelina had finally allowed herself to feel the emotions she had kept bottled inside for years. She cried herself to sleep. She tossed and turned all throughout the night. During the day, she was a zombie, only staring off into space and eating when needed. She was barely holding herself together. And it didn't help that she unconsciously passed the balcony more times than she could count, it's deadly serenity and promise of an end sounding better and better with each passing._

_So as she leaned against the balcony for the hundredth time in two weeks, the same thoughts of reuniting herself with her family screamed in the forefront of her mind. The idea became more and more appealing each night. All it took was one leap. One fling. One jump. And her misery would be over. Angelina was far beyond done. She had hit rock bottom, mentally, physically and emotionally._

_So, Angelina was at peace with her decision as she hauled herself onto the balcony's ledge. She eased her way up to a standing position and looked down. Hundreds of feet below was the rocky, uneven gravel of the edge of the Enchanted Forest. One step, and it was over._

_The wind whipped around Angelina, and her hair blew softly in the breeze. The moonlight engulfed the scene below her, making the ominous setting more inviting and intriguing. Angelina's breath hitched in her throat while she fully embraced the gravity of what she was about to do. She had never thought that her life would end like this. That she'd be willing to give it up so easily. But what good was life if she had no one to share it with?_

_Angelina took a deep breath and smiled for the first time in weeks. If a lonely life couldn't be fulfilling, then a reuniting death sure would. Making sure to remember her last vision in life, Angelina closed her eyes in serenity and whispered a meek, "I'm sorry," to whatever deity had bestowed life upon her as she threw it all away. She sighed, bent her knees slightly, and made way to leap..._

_"Angelina," a voice spoke out softly yet clearly and firmly. A voice with warmth and urgency in its tone._

_Normally, this interruption would have encouraged Angelina to leap more quickly, but the voice she heard shook her to the core. Her eyes snapped open and widened. She had known that voice the instant it had breathed the first letter of her name. She'd recognize it anywhere. But she couldn't believe it. It couldn't be possible._

_The gentle hand trailing down her arm and taking a firm grasp, however, was enough to convince Angelina that she wasn't hallucinating. She wasn't crazy. He was actually there._

_"Daniel?" she asked uncertainty._

_Her ice blue eyes met that of a duller, grayer blue. It was all she could look at. The familiarity of the gaze was enough to make Angelina tremble._

_"Yes, Angelina," Daniel smiled sadly when his sister's eyes watered and ran freely with tears, her face contorted in hesitancy. "It's me. I'm here."_

* * *

After a relaxing marathon of Disney Pixar movies, Lina and Henry were disappointed when it had to come to an end. A bit woefully, Lina walked Henry to Dr. Hopper's office in the brisk, frigid air.

"So what are you going to tell Archie? To get him on board?" Lina prodded Henry merely for the sake of conversation as they walked.

"I'm not quite sure," Henry admitted. "Archie knows about Operation Cobra, but he doesn't know the details. Regardless, what I say needs to be subtle."

"Why's that?" Lina asked, disinterested.

"Archie thinks too logically. We need to convince him to help us by making him remember his life as Jiminy Cricket."

"Well, good luck," Lina smiled thinly as they approached Dr. Hopper's office door. "Mom's going to pick you up when your session's over. Then you can tell me how it went."

"Okay," Henry agreed. "See you later."

And there Lina left Henry for the rest of the afternoon while she trudged home, many things on her mind all at once. The main thing being that she needed to take her daily dosage of the serum Mr. Gold had given her. It was the perfect time, too. Lina had the house all to herself, and she could take the serum without fearing watchful eyes witnessing her every move.

When Lina returned home, she headed to the kitchen where she stowed the serum in a cabinet full of cookbooks that no one ever went into besides herself. The recipes Regina cooked were all done by memory. In fact, Lina couldn't remember the last time Regina had used a cookbook. So it was only logical that Lina kept the serum in that cabinet opposed to one of the many medicine cabinets Regina had stockpiled around the house. That woman would always be so over-cautious. It would only be a matter of time before Regina found it if Lina decided to store the serum in one of them. However, not many things went by unnoticed on Regina's watch. So, maybe Lina needed to find a new hiding location...

With these thoughts on her mind, Lina threw open the cabinet, snatched the vial and swallowed a small portion of the serum without any contemplation. The odd thing about the serum was that while it really worked, it didn't work in the way Angelina had anticipated. She'd stopped remembering the dreams, but that didn't mean they weren't still there. When she woke up in the morning, Lina always felt that vague, fuzzy awareness of having a dream the night previous, but never remembering what it was about as she normally did. However, the attacks of the day dreams and "visions" had ceased, so for that much, Angelina was grateful. And, perhaps with each dosage taken, the knowledge that the dreams were there would eventually fade to nothing.

After swallowing a small portion of the vial, silently gagging at the bitter taste, Angelina stuck it back in the cabinet, securing it behind a few cookbooks lined up at the front of the storage unit. Satisfied, Lina left the kitchen and went to the parlor area. The piano within called her name softly and desperately. It was always nice having the house to herself, but the best part of it was free reign to play the piano without bothering anyone with the way it echoed throughout the house. It annoyed Henry more than it did her mom. Regina, however, always insisted that Lina played classical melodies versus the more modern pieces of music Lina preferred to indulge in. So she never really played what she wanted when her mom was around. But now, she could. And she did for what seemed an eternity. That is, until a tremor reverberated throughout the house.

Lina jumped in shock and sat still as the sound of glass clanking echoed all throughout the house. The room shook and trembled like an earthquake. An earthquake! Since when did Maine get earthquakes?

It didn't last long. Miraculously, nothing was damaged or broken. Nothing aside from Lina's mental state. She barely had time to wonder if all of Storybrooke had undergone the same tremor, let alone recover, before her cell phone rang. Lina fumbled with her coat pocket to retrieve it, her hands failing to hide the fact that she was still scared. Taking a quick glance at the caller ID, she wasn't surprised to see who it was.

"Mom?" she spoke with an obvious shakiness in her voice, but quickly pushed it down and out of sight. "Is this about whatever the hell just happened a few seconds ago?"

Lina could almost hear Regina's eyes roll as a frustrated sigh escaped her lips. "I don't appreciate the language," the mayor started sternly. "But yes, it is. Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Lina reassured. "Just a little shaken up, but other than that, good." Lina paused to take a breath. "What WAS that? I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, but since when does Storybrooke, Maine get Earthquakes?"

"It wasn't an Earthquake, Angelina," Regina said matter of factly. "It was a mine collapse."

"Mine collapse?" Lina asked skeptically. "A mine collapse can make that much of a rumble? How do you know?"

"Sheriff Graham got a call from someone who witnessed it," Regina explained calmly. "But that's not why I called." Lina silently waited for Regina continue. When she did, her tone turned business-like and authoritive, resembling the part of the regal, in control mayor that Regina always had to play.

"Other than to make sure you were alright, I called because I need you to pick up Henry from Dr. Hopper's office while I go investigate the collapse."

"Okay," Lina agreed reasonably. "I can do that."

"Thank you," Regina said softly. "I'll be home as soon as I can."

"Okay," Lina responded just to clarify that she had heard. "Hurry- _click_- . . . home," Lina sighed when her mom hung up. "Whatever," she grumbled with a roll of her eyes. Glancing up at the clock, Lina estimated that it was about time to head out again to get Henry from Archie. She briefly wondered how the pair had reacted to the mine collapse tremble, and wondered if they were okay, but quickly figured that it couldn't have been any worse than what she'd experienced.

And apparently it wasn't. There seemed to be no damage whatsoever in Storybrooke. Apart from people gathering in the streets to discuss what could have possibly caused such a tremor, there was nothing out of the ordinary. And while Lina was relieved, she was also curious as to how a mine collapse could have caused that much of a raucous. But, better judgement shrugged it off and she carried her way to Archie's office.

Lina wasn't surprised to find that Archie and Henry were no where to be found once she arrived. Exasperated? Yes. Irritated? Yes. Surprised? No. Letting out a disgruntled huff, Lina turned on her heels and went back out into the streets to search for the pair.

Once outside again, Angelina saw many of Storybrooke's inhabitants mulling their way over to the woods at the outer rim of the small town. Curious and assuming that everyone was wanting to get a peek at the mine collapse, she followed their lead, hoping that Henry and Archie had done the same. Knowing Henry, he had encouraged further investigation. But whether or not Archie had been up to it was a matter of what state of mind he was in. Regardless, he'd have been reluctant to follow, but hopefully he had given in and gone after Henry. It would save Lina a lot of trouble if they were at the site of the collapse rather than God knows where.

And so, Lina followed the trail of people venturing into the depths of the forest. She didn't have to walk a long distance before her eyes met a growing accumulation of curious people peering at what was indeed a mine collapse. Regina was at the front of the commotion, monitoring the situation, quickly assuring everyone's safety, once again playing the role of mayor. But Lina wasn't paying attention to what was being said. She had her eyes out for Archie and Henry. Luckily, she spotted them amidst the crowd, standing with none other than Emma Swan (big surprise there). Lina quickly shoved her way to them, mumbling brief apologies to all those she pushed out of her way.

"Henry," Lina hissed to get his attention. He turned to her immediately. "What's going on?"

"We're not sure," Archie answered for him. "It seems like there's been some sort of foundation collapse. Maybe a mine?"

Lina repressed the urge to palm her forehead. Thank you captain obvious... She instead decided to focus her attention on what her mom was saying.

"We will bulldoze it," Regina said with an unnerving glint in her eye. "Collapse it," she continued. "Pave it."

Henry couldn't keep his mouth shut any longer. "Pave it?" he interjected, emerging from the crowd to confront his mother. "What if there's something down there?" Again, Lina repressed the urge to groan and palm her forehead. She knew what was going on in that head of his. Somehow, in his mind, this tied in with Operation Cobra. And Lina didn't think now was the time to bring his accusations to the forefront.

"Henry?" Regina's tone softened considerably in surprise, her eyes flashing to where Henry emerged from. Her eyes locked with Lina's for a brief second in questioning. Lina only shrugged and held out her hands up as if to say 'it wasn't me.' Regina turned her attention back to her son. "What are you doing here?"

"What's down there?" Henry rebutted with his own question.

"Nothing," Mayor Mills snapped. "Now step back," she instructed. "In fact, everyone, please, please, step back," she encouraged more audibly. "Thank you."

Henry reluctantly returned to Lina's side, wedging himself between she and Emma. He tugged on Lina's sleeve when he saw Regina pick up a large shard of what looked to be glass. Lina caught the movement just in time to see Regina slip whatever she had retrieved into her coat pocket.

"What was that?" Henry whispered loud enough and accusingly for both Emma and Lina to hear.

"Henry, enough," Regina barked, briefly flinching at being caught. But being caught for what, Lina and Henry didn't know. Realizing how acrimoniously she was responding, Lina and Henry's mother took it down a few notches and continued more calmly. "Listen, this is a safety issue." She looked to Lina endearingly and instructed, "Now Lina, you and Henry go wait in the car."

Lina only but nodded in compliance and grabbed Henry's hand before he could protest. "C'mon, Henry."

The two trudged in silence, both lost in their own trains of thought. Lina had to admit, Regina was acting defensively about the mine. It only made Lina more curious as to what significance it had to her and the town. What if Henry was right? What if there was something down there?

"We need to call a meeting," Henry interrupted her thoughts. He began guiding Lina back towards Emma who was standing casually by a cop car.

"Meeting?" Lina asked, not following. However, Henry didn't respond.

"Archie over here," he called to his therapist instead, who was idly standing around with an expression of uncertainty. Archie, upon hearing his name, turned to the source of it, smiled lightly at Henry, and made his way over to the group. "This requires all of Operation Cobra," Henry continued once Archie arrived. "All three of you."

"I didn't realize I was in Operation Cobra," Archie said in bewilderment.

"Of course you are, you know everything," Henry reassured as if it was obvious. "Now, we can't let her do this. What if there's something down there?"

"It's just some old tunnels," Emma informed, trying but failing to stop his overactive imagination.

"That just happened to collapse right after you get here?" Henry quipped skeptically. "You're changing things. You're weakening the curse."

"That's not what's happening," Emma protested wearily.

"Yes it is," Henry spoke, not at all deterred. "Did you do anything different today? Because something made this  
happen."

Emma paused in thought, her hand unconsciously reaching down to a deputy's badge attached firmly to her hip. Lina caught this movement and diverted her gaze to what Emma was grabbing at.

"Hey," Lina furrowed her brows when she saw the badge. "When did you become deputy?" Normally, Lina would have already known these types of things via Regina, which made Lina wonder if Regina knew about Emma's new authority.

"Uh..." Emma shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Today."

Before Lina or Henry could comment or congratulate, Regina came forth from out of no where and scolded her two children.

"Henry, Lina! I told you to wait in the car!"

"Okay, we're going," Lina tried to diffuse her mother's anger by leading Henry away from Archie and Emma.

"I just don't get it," Henry complained as soon as they were out of earshot.

"Get what?" Lina asked as they approached the car.

"Why she's so... Evil!"

"Evil's too harsh," Lina snapped as she opened the door to Regina's black Mercedes.

"But she's so mean to Emma," Henry protested childishly. "I mean, Emma IS the savior and the Evil Queen's natural enemy, but mom doesn't know that."

"Ever think that she's just afraid of losing you?" Lina retorted defensively once the two were secure inside the car.

"She already has..." Henry mumbled.

Lina jerked her head back to look at Henry as if someone or something had slapped her. "I was talking about custody, Henry..." she sighed sadly.

"So what if she does?" Henry grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest in defiance.

Lina raised an eyebrow at him, meeting his eyes easily. "You would leave me with her?" she asked, playing on the idea that Henry truly believed his mom was the Evil Queen.

Henry visibly deflated and expressed an apologetic look. "Ah, right. You have a point. I would never leave you, Lina," he sympathized. When he didn't make any move to continue, Lina decided to use the opportunity to speak.

"Look, I'm not justifying everything she does and says," she explained. "But I do know that past experiences mold a person. And IF she WAS truly evil and bad, then there had to be some sort of motivation and drive to push her over the edge. And regardless of what you think, she does love you Henry."

"What about you?" Henry responded.

"Hmm?"

"Does she love you?" he repeated.

"Of course," Lina scoffed, even though she wasn't quite sure. There had been a time when Lina would without a doubt respond yes, but now it was more complicated. She knew Regina had a sympathetic streak for her, and she did care about Lina, but not in the same way she cared for Henry.

Henry absorbed all that was said in silence. In his mind, it still didn't add up, but he was willing to take Lina's word for some of what was said, lightly thinking that Lina was either too submerged in the curse to realize what she was implying, or she had been in the Evil Queen's 'court' back in Fairytale Land.

"Why do you always stick up for her?" he asked suddenly.

The question took Lina by surprise, and she began fidgeting with her hands while her gaze lingered on them. "Well... I've known her for a long time. I'm very grateful to her for taking me in. She's the reason I am who I am today." Lina looked at Henry to see he was listening intently, holding on to every word she said. "If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have a brother, a mother or even a house for that matter. I've seen her good side too many times to count to hear you slander at her character without someone to speak for her..."

She was cut off by the sight of Regina strutting over to the car with a menacing ferocity. It was awe inspiring and terrifying at the same time. She looked angry and frustrated, and Lina only hoped that the anger wasn't directed towards she and her brother.

"Wanna bet how much trouble we're in?" Lina half joked.

* * *

_Angelina stared wide eyed at her brother, her dead brother, before breathing in deeply and shaking her head._

_"This is ridiculous," she laughed sardonically. "This is absurd. You're not here with me and I'm not seeing you. You're dead. This isn't real." Angelina could see the sorrow and hurt in Daniel's face, but she attributed it to an overactive imagination. So she turned away in guilt and attempted to tug away from Daniel's grasp. His grip didn't loosen in the least. Angelina was shocked to feel Daniel's grip tighten to the point where she could feel her pulse thudding against his palm._

_"Angelina," Daniel spoke calmly. "Do you realize what you're doing?"_

_Angelina watched her warm breath hit the coldness of the air, creating vapor that dissipated over her head. She was standing on a balcony, ready to give up her life the join her family, only to be held back by her DEAD brother._

_"If you do this, there's no turning back..." Daniel continued, treating Angelina with great care. Just as their father had treated their mother in high stressed situations._

_"Stop treating me like glass, Daniel," Angelina had the heart to chuckle lightly at a phrase her mother had used on more than one occasion. "I'm not going to break."_

_"Only crack, right?" Daniel split a grin. His smiles made Angelina melt. They had always been so genuine and heartfelt. Daniel had always been the type of person who wore his heart on his sleeve. And that was evident in his smiles._

_In an overflow of emotion and elated, impulsive happiness, Angelina tossed all thoughts of suicide out the window and threw herself at Daniel. He caught her with ease, a smile spread across his face. Angelina buried her face into the crook of her brother's neck and hugged him as tightly as she could, breathing and basking in the musky scent that Daniel had always carried with him._

_"I've missed you," Angelina half sobbed and half sighed into his shoulder._

_"I know you have," Daniel whispered soothingly while stroking the back of Angelina's head._

_"Why haven't you done this before?" Angelina asked, withdrawing from Daniel's embrace. "Why aren't mother and father here?"_

_Daniel grimaced at the directness of the question and guided Angelina over to her bedside. "You see, Angelina," Daniel sighed and sat down on the edge of his sister's ornate bed. "That's complicated."_

_"How so?" Angelina inquired, taking Daniel's lead and sitting along side her brother._

_"Well," Daniel hesitated. "Where they are right now is... paradise. And although they remember their lives here on Earth, they choose not to dwell on their memories here."_

_"Why not?" Angelina asked, somewhat offended. "They don't care about what happens to me?" she asked meekly._

_"No!" Daniel objected. "It's not that at all! Quite the opposite, actually." Angelina waited patiently for him to continue. "They're afraid if they look down on the Earth from above, they'd miss you too much to go about their new lives. It would consume them, and they wouldn't rest peacefully until you joined us as well."_

_Angelina sat quietly, absorbing that answer. Mother and father cared too much to care... "And what about you?" Angelina asked quietly. "Why choose now to visit me? Why are you here?"_

_Daniel smiled softly and delicately stroked Angelina's cheek with his thumb. "I've never left you," Daniel informed. "From the moment I died, I've been here for you. Watching, guiding, loving..."_

_"Then why make your presence known now?"_

_Angelina didn't even have to hear Daniel say the words to know the answer. His face said it all. She had hit rock bottom, willing to throw her life away just to end the relentless pain and misery versus face it like a real woman. And Daniel was here to stop this out of control downward spiraling collapse of faith and dignity._

_"Ah," Angelina chuckled bitterly. "I see."_

_"Angelina, things may seem bad now, but nothing is worse than throwing away your own life."_

_"Have you been watching me at all?!" Angelina cried, suddenly and unexpectedly outraged. "Have you seen what my life entails? I'm living in hell! I have been ALL alone the past few years. I've hunted my own food, made my own shelter, and tried to survive. I can't go through a single day without feeling an anger boiling in my blood. Vengeance is all I can think of. And when I'm not, I'm crying and broken. My mind is my own prison I can't escape. I've had enough!"_

_Daniel listened to Angelina rant, rave and let it all out. He didn't say a word, didn't make any indication of agreeing or disagreeing. He just sat in silence, watching the passionate emotions play out upon his sister's face._

_"And to top it all off," Angelina practically yelled. "I'm living with the woman who is single handedly responsible for your death!"_

_Daniel couldn't repress the flinch that ensued when Angelina spoke those next set of words. He still hated that she still had yet to learn the truth behind his death. The simple truth that it hadn't been by Regina's hand that he was murdered. And that his death was the pivotal reason that Regina had turned down the path of destruction and decay. He still hated watching Regina go through her life, becoming all she had once feared. But he wasn't going to get involved in Regina and Angelina's odd relationship. He loved both women too much to takes sides and get involved. All would reveal itself in time._

_Angelina saw the flicker of doubt and offense cross her brother's face. She stared at him in bewilderment. Daniel had expressed a sparkle in his eyes when Angelina had made a reference to Regina. He seemed physically hurt by the idea of Angelina speaking poorly of her. He had a longing, distant expression on his features, and he even seemed offended that Angelina would think of her in a bad light._

_"You still love her," Angelina breathed in wonder. Daniel's silence and gleaming eyes confirmed her accusation. "After all she's done to our family, you still have feelings for Regina."_

_"She's not as bad as you think," Daniel spoke so softly that Angelina barely heard him._

_"Really?" she snorted. "I'm beginning to think that you never knew her at all."_

_"Or maybe YOU never did," Daniel retorted gently._

_Angelina narrowed her eyes, perplexed by her brother's inability to see how evil Regina was. "I don't care to know her," she informed._

_"And there lies your problem," Daniel said. "You don't care to know her because you're afraid of what you might find. You're afraid that you might see the similarities the two of you share. You're afraid you might find you enjoy the qualities that I find so endearing about her. You're afraid you'll discover the origin of her ruthless vengeance and reign. She's been through so much more than you'll ever know."_

_Daniel leaned closer to Angelina and grabbed her hands, acting as an anchor. "You've lived your whole life hating her and plotting revenge on her. But you've never once thought about what has driven her to where she is. You're afraid to know her, because you don't want your perception of her to be altered. You don't want to be wrong."_

_Angelina sat silently for a few moments, staring at Daniel as if he had grown two heads. The assertiveness in his words astounded her. Angelina had never seen her brother speak so passionately about something. Especially about a subject the two disagreed on. And as much as she hated to admit it, she knew there was truth to his words. In fact, she was quite sure everything he said was the truth. Angelina wasn't daft enough to deny it. Perhaps in another life, Angelina and Regina could have been friends. They had similar senses of humor, the same ambition, and qualities that derived from past experiences._

_"So her life molded the choices she's made," Angelina scoffed with not as much contempt as before. "Do you expect me to believe that she's just a broken individual?"_

_"Not broken," Daniel disagreed with a frown and a shake of his head. "Just bent."_

_Angelina nodded slowly in contemplation. She refused to agree with him, but didn't want to lash out as she had moments before. "So... what do you want me to do?" she asked meekly._

_Daniel sighed. "I want you to do whatever your heart desires."_

_"That's rich," Angelina scoffed instantly. "Considering you were just trying to sway my judgment."_

_"Whatever your heart desires," Daniel repeated insistently. "I don't want you to feel like you must stay by Regina's side because you have to, or because I want you to. I want you to stay because YOU want to and that you feel it's the right thing to do." Angelina opened her mouth to say something but Daniel beat her to the punch. "And if your heart tells you the best option would be to jump off the balcony and join me, mother and father in death, then so be it. However, I believe I know you better than that."_

_Angelina wanted so badly to forget this whole conversation and just die as she had planned. Angelina highly doubted that Regina had ever and would ever be a good person. But, there was an incredibly small inkling of Angelina that dwelled upon the 'what ifs.' What if Regina had been a pure soul when she met Daniel, and what if she really had loved him? What if Regina killed Daniel in some sick twisted game of power and control and regretted it to this very day? What if her taking Angelina in was a condolence to Daniel's untimely death? It was these considerations that led Angelina to nodding her head in resolute agreement._

_"I'll stay," she whispered. "But only on one condition." Daniel waited expectantly for his little sister to continue. Angelina faced her brother, and with a willful gleam in her eye said, "I'll only stay if the Dark Queen admits that she loved you."_

_Daniel repressed a knowing smirk. The question wasn't whether or not his true love had loved him, rather if she would admit it and threaten showing weakness. "I believe that is fair," he nodded instead of arguing._

_"I'm glad you think so," Angelina grumbled sarcastically. She knew that the only reason she was even remotely agreeing to this was because her brother still cared for the Evil Queen. It had to be the only reason. And if the Evil Queen showed any signs of returning those feelings, then Angelina would do everything in her power to stand by the Queen, to be her confidant and friend. To locate the reason behind her madness, and to always protect her, even if that meant turning her back down the path of light and purity._

_Angelina shook her head to clear her unnatural thoughts. Why was she showing so much sympathy to the woman that had caused her so much pain? Why did Daniel love her so much, still? It was all very frustrating and confusing._

_"It's late," Daniel interrupted Angelina's internal battle, noticing she was staring into space. "You should be getting to bed."_

_Angelina nodded through her daze and allowed Daniel to pull back the sheets and quilt of her bedding. He helped Angelina situate herself comfortably on the bed and gave her a sweet, meaningful kiss on the forehead. "Goodnight, love," he smiled, as she stroked her hair away from her face._

_Angelina's eyes widened at the implications of what Daniel had said. He was going to leave her. "Please," she pleaded, holding into his hands for dear life. "Stay."_

_Daniel eyed the innocence in his sister's eyes. The lost and lonely little girl inside. He simply couldn't deny her of a simple request. Especially after she'd lost so much at the start of her life. "Of course," he smiled with tears stinging his vision._

_Angelina visually relaxed by his reassurance. "Good," she sighed as she nestled further into her covers and mattress. "Daniel," Angelina started shyly, voice muffled by the covers. "Can you...?" She paused._

_"Yes?" Daniel asked encouragingly._

_Angelina sighed, resigning to the fact that what she was about to ask for was childish. "Sing to me?"_

_Daniel smiled warmly. "As you wish." And Daniel launched into the verses of Angelina's favorite lullaby that he and his mother used to sing to his sister when she was a child._

_"Dark the stars and dark the moon."_

_"Hush the night and the morning loom."_

_"Tell the horses and beat on your drum."_

_"Gone their master gone their son."_

_Daniel stroked Angelina's hair as he sang. Angelina smiled lightly at the warm feel of his touch. She had often found herself wondering if she was imagining all of this throughout the duration of the conversations she'd held with her deceased brother. But, at this point, she didn't care if she was insane or not. She didn't care if it was real or not. It felt loving enough to be real in her heart._

_"Daniel?" she whispered timidly after he had finished the last verse of the melody._

_Daniel was surprised to find that his sister was still conscious. She had been breathing too steadily and deeply for him to think otherwise. "Yes, love?"_

_"Will you still be here when I wake?" Angelina asked, eyes still closed, voice thinning as she danced on the edges of unconsciousness._

_"Of course, Lina," Daniel reassured sweetly, pulling up the covers to her chin. "I'll always be with you." That was all the reassurance Angelina needed to hear. She surrendered herself to the depths of a well needed sleep._

_Daniel leaned over and pressed one last kiss to his sister's temple before fading away into the realm in which he inhabited, becoming nothing but an onlooker always present in Angelina's life._

* * *

Surprisingly, Regina said not but three words to Henry and Lina as she had driven them home after the mine ordeal. And those words were,

"Fasten your seat-belts."

Lina had fully expected a long tongue lashing from her adoptive mother, but it never came. Even when Regina pulled up to their estate, she only sent Lina and Henry off to bed without much indication to how much fury was built up inside her. Lina had been very tempted to press Regina for reassurance she was okay, but shot down the idea almost immediately. Sometimes silence told all.

Lina had slept very fitfully all night. She couldn't get the idea that something was in the collapsed mine out of her head. Not that she believed Henry's theory of proof being held within the combines of the mine. She just thought that there might be some history preserved in the mine's walls. There wasn't much, if any, history to the small town of Storybrooke. All she knew of the town's origins came from Regina, which was very vague and dismissive. Leftover tool kits, old coin money, maybe sticks of dynamite... Anything of that sort could give Lina more details to add to what little information anyone knew of Storybrooke's past. Lina considered herself a very adventurous young woman at heart. She was always fascinated with history, local and foreign. Of course, Lina had never ventured past the town line. She'd tried on many occasions, but was always stopped by one thing or another. Sometimes internal conflict, others external intervention. But nothing was stopping her now. Lina was going to finally finish something she started. Which is why she stood at the mine entrance the morning following its collapse instead of attending school.

She hadn't told Henry she was going to the mine, because if she had, he'd have insisted on coming with her. He had kept Angelina up well past their bedtime, filling her brain with ideas of fantastical items and information the mine could potentially conceal. Information proving that Storybrooke was actually a town full of fairytale characters who didn't remember their true identities. Lina hadn't bought any of it, but the more Henry talked about entering the cave, the more Lina wanted to investigate. She knew it was dangerous entering the mine, but something was telling her to check it out. She didn't know what she'd find, but the thrill of entering uncharted, restricted territory was enticing to Lina.

Now, there she stood, staring at the opening, of which was blocked off with warning signs and caution tape. If Regina found out, Lina would be in SO much trouble. That was the only thing stopping her from descending into the depths of the mine. But, at the same time, who would find out? Regina was at work, and Henry had a session with Archie before going to school. She was free to do whatever she wanted for the next few hours without any worries. Her teachers were used to her absence from school on a regular basis. Questioning the mayor's daughter was almost like questioning the mayor herself. So, teachers rarely commented on Lina's absences. As long as she kept her grades up, they were fine. And that wasn't a problem, for Lina always made good grades.

Lina took a steady breath, clutching onto the strap of her cross body bag which contained a flashlight, her phone, and anything else deemed useful for her small journey. Just when she mustered enough confidence to enter, a small voice spoke from behind her.

"Lina?" he called.

Lina wanted so badly to groan at the voice, but she restrained herself. She turned sheepishly to face none other than her brother.

"What are you doing here?" Henry continued as he walked closer.

"Wha- I... Well..." Lina stumbled for words. She was caught off guard.

"Never mind why I'm here," she snapped, finding her voice. "What are YOU doing here? Aren't you supposed to be with Dr. Hopper?"

A pained look crossed Henry's face. "Yeah about that," he frowned. "I sorta ran out..."

"Ran out on the session?" Henry nodded dejectedly. "Why?"

"Archie doesn't believe me. He doesn't even support Operation Cobra anymore," Henry admitted with slumped shoulders.

"What ever made you think he would believe you?" Lina asked as delicately as she could.

"He's Jiminy Cricket," Henry shrugged as if that was a legitimate answer. Lina eyed him for a few moments as he treaded to the edge of the opening.

"So you thought if you came here, you could find evidence to prove your theory correct," Lina put the pieces together. All she received in response was a nod.

Henry kicked at the dirt before turning his attention back to his sister. "So, are you gonna help me?"

"Well, Henry," Lina laughed uneasily. "I don't think that would be smart... Or safe."

"Then what are YOU doing here?" Henry accused. He jutted out his chin challengingly, daring Lina to lie.

Lina sighed, caught red handed. "Have you ever noticed how Storybrooke has no history? No founders, no establish date, no nothing? It's like it's always been here..."

Henry nodded enthusiastically. "It's because of the curse!"

Lina gave Henry a look on the verge of perplexion before continuing. "Well, I just thought that the mine might have some sort of... history hidden underground."

"Right," Henry nodded shortly. "So let's go." He began walking determinedly towards the entrance.

"Woah! Hold on there partner!" Lina chased after him. "We're not going anywhere!"

"You were just about to walk in when I showed up!" Henry protested angrily.

"Yes," Lina agreed. "But I'm much older than you." Henry glared at his sister. "Henry, it's dangerous!" Lina countered.

"You said from now on we do things together," Henry said with a hard look in his eyes. "Now, I'm going in, with or without you. But I'd rather do it with you." He held out his hand and patiently waited for Lina to take it. Lina eyed the hand for a few moments, hesitant to agree to entering the mine. She wanted to go, but she also didn't want Henry to get hurt. However, Henry wouldn't take no for an answer. So, with a roll of her eyes and a small smile, Lina took her brother's hand and nodded. Henry's face lit up and he practically flung Lina along side him.

The pair ducked under the warning tape and dodged a few loose wooden boards and rock formations. Lina was instantly drawn into the total blackout darkness of the mine. Little light illuminated the walls, and Lina could barely see four feet in front of her. She stopped Henry from pulling her along any farther, and slipped her free hand into her bag, retrieving the flashlight she had stowed away in the side compartment.

"That's much better," she commented as she flipped the switch. Simultaneously with her flashlight illuminating the dark, damp corridor, Henry too found a second source of lighting with another flashlight he had kept zipped up in his backpack. Lina looked to her brother in mild surprise and admiration.

"Great minds think alike," Henry shrugged with a cute smirk plastered on his face.

"Indeed, they do," Lina agreed.

Together, the pair drifted deeper and deeper into the mine. The outermost areas had little to no evidence of intelligent life ever entering the mine, but the more they winded their way into the inner most sanctions, the more equipment, tools and trinkets Henry and Lina stumbled upon. Most of the artifacts were useless to both what Henry and Lina were longingly looking for. However, Lina found herself snatching a small hammer and chisel out of a corner of one of the turns to keep in her bag. If this journey turned into a complete dud, at least she got something out of it.

As they approached a largely cracked wall, something caught Henry's attention. He pointed his flashlight over the wall a few times, inspecting the peculiar looking visage. When the light settled on one particular spot for one too many moments, Lina knew that Henry had seen something.

"Hey, Lina, check this out!" he sprinted over to the wall and gazed into the jagged crack. Lina followed suit, all nerves and jitters officially subsiding. Although many, including her mom, would consider this reckless, hazardous and risky, Lina didn't really care. As long as she kept Henry by her side, he would be okay.

"I think there's something down here," Henry spoke confidently when Lina stopped along side him. He then stuck his small arm down the opening, fingers searching for something to grab hold of.

"Hold on," Lina advised when she saw half of Henry's arm disappear into the crack. "Maybe I should do this. I wouldn't want you to break your arm."

Henry didn't look too happy about it, but he slid his arm out of the jagged shaft and did as he was advised. "There's something shiny down there. It could be something," he explained. Lina neared her face close to the opening, shining her flashlight down it. Sure enough, there WAS something reflecting light back to her, creating the illusion of shininess.

"Hold you flashlight up," Lina commanded as she tentatively stuck her hand into the crack, keeping her sight on the shiny object the whole time. She continued until her whole arm up to her shoulder was submerged by the jagged opening. Her jacket caught onto the edges a few times, but she was able to release herself without much trouble. Henry watched intensively, watching Lina's arm disappear inch by inch into the opening. Finally, anticipation at its peak, Lina felt her fingers brush something protruding from the back of the opening: sharp edged, pointed and smooth.

"I've got it," Lina informed Henry when she'd carefully wrapped her hands around the glass like object. Henry smiled brightly. Lina tugged lightly at the object, but it wouldn't budge. She tried again a bit harder, yet still to no avail.

"Something wrong?" Henry asked, peering around Lina to see what the trouble was.

"It's not moving," Lina responded through gritted teeth. She tried again, this time with as much strength as she could muster. It was a bad idea...

A sharp sting and a sticky wetness following forced Lina to withdraw her arm with a gasp. Her palm was dripping a steady stream of blood, a cut carved through the flesh, thin and deep.

"Dammit," Lina hissed, putting her mouth to her hand to suck at the blood, cleaning the wound.

"Are you okay?" Henry asked, wide eyed and worried.

"I'm fine," Lina grumbled, examining the cut. "It's not that bad. Just needs some soap and water."

"And a Band-Aid?" Henry added as an afterthought.

"Yes," Lina groused. "That would help."

"Then it's a good thing I have some!" Henry smiled brightly. "Let me see if I can find them," Henry took off his backpack and began rummaging through its contents.

While Henry busied himself with finding a bandage, Lina turned her attention back to the crack in the wall. Staring down it, she saw the sharp glass shard or whatever it was glinting back at her with reflections of light dancing in her vision.

"It's really wedged in there good," Lina concluded. "It might even be molded into the rock," she added.

Little more than seconds after these words escaped her mouth, a beam of eerie green light shot from the jagged opening. It flew past Angelina, bounced off the opposite wall, and continued down a dark corridor that Lina hadn't noticed before. The beam illuminated the cavern considerably more than what light was provided by the flashlights.

"I could have sworn I had Band Aids in here," Henry said in frustration, oblivious to what was taking place.

"Henry," Lina started shakily. "Forget about that. Look."

Henry diverted his attention to Lina, curious to her sudden demeanor change. "What?" he asked, looking around the room.

Lina's eyes widened in disbelief. "Don't you see that?" she shrieked, pointing at the beam.

"See what?"

"The beam of green light!" Lina exclaimed. "The one creating a trail." Henry's face remained unresponsive. "Oh, don't tell me you can't see it!"

"Well, I can't," Henry informed regrettably. Then his face brightened as a thought occurred to him. "Hey, maybe I can't see it because I'm not a fairytale character!"

"Excuse me?" Lina lashed quickly.

"I've never been to the Enchanted Forest," Henry explained. "But you have! You've encountered magic. That's why you can see the light and I can't!"

"I'm not so sure about that," Lina mumbled, eyes transfixed on the green light. Henry seemed so sure of himself though.

"C'mon, let's follow it then," Lina suggested, pulling Henry up. Of course, Henry was only more than willing to tag along.

The pair followed the path that only Angelina was able to see for a few minutes. Henry didn't say a word. He had taken notice of the way Lina's eyes were glazed over with an eerie illumination. Although he was a little concerned, his curiosity of where the so called light would lead them won out his fears. Lina was entranced by the beauty of the light. It was an ethereal green, shaded by flecks of a sparkly, shiny substance. It was hypnotizing, and Lina found her thoughts drifting to the dreams she'd ceased to have ever since the draught Mr. Gold had given her had began to take effect. The dreams and the light intertwined somehow. They fit together like puzzle pieces. One couldn't live without the other. Once Lina made that connection, the light disappeared. Lina stopped abruptly, eyes refilling with their usual spark.

"What's wrong?" Henry asked.

"It...it's gone," Lina spluttered. "The light is gone!"

"So... What now?" Henry inquired, his voice reverberating off the walls.

As if on cue, the ground began to rumble, creak and groan. The whole mine trembled, and Lina felt like she was stuck in another round of earthquake tremors. However, this time, the ceiling buckled under the shakes, and molecular pieces of rock spewed steadily downwards. But something in Lina told her it wouldn't be long before the more damaging chunks would fall down. Lina watched, horrified, as the ceiling caved in and began to topple downwards to the very location she and Henry were standing.

"Henry, look out!" Lina screamed as she shoved him out of the way of the boulders crashing downwards. She didn't get to see whether or not he made it safely to the other side. In a last ditch effort, Lina dodged in the opposite direction of which she pushed Henry to move away from the falling debris. She almost cleared it. Almost. But just when Lina thought that no harm would come to her, a large boulder crushed the bottom half of her left leg, pinning her to the ground.

The tremors subsided and the world came to a standstill once again, revealing the shrieks and cries of Angelina as she pried and clawed at the wall of rocks crushing her leg and keeping her in place.

"Lina?!" she heard Henry's muffled cries from the other side of the wall newly formed between them. "LINA!"

Lina breathed in deeply and attempted to push aside the dire situation she found herself in. She had to be strong for Henry. If nothing else, she was going to keep him calm by maintaining her composure. "Henry?!" Lina swallowed the extreme pain inflicted on her leg and focused solely on communication. "Henry, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," his eager reply came. "But you're not. I heard you screaming."

"No," Lina flinched. "It's okay. I'm fine, but I'm trapped," she coughed as she took in her dusty surroundings. Her flashlight had strewn across the hall, dimly lighting up the area. There were still plenty of passages and hallways behind her, but Lina wasn't going anywhere with her leg pinned to the ground.

"Henry, are you caved in?"

"No," Henry spoke confidently. "I can get out fine."

"Okay," Lina sighed, perspiration and sweat dampening her forehead and upper lip. "I need you to listen to me." Lina paused to catch her breath. "I need you to get yourself out."

"And leave you here?" Henry exclaimed. "No way!"

"Henry!" Lina snapped, sounding so much like Regina that it was scary. "Do as you're told! Follow the path we took as best as you can remember, get out, find help, and send someone to get me. I'm not going anywhere. I can't stand up." Lina was met with silence. "Henry," Lina tried. Silence. "Henry, do you understand?"

"Yes," the small reply came. "I understand."

"Good," Lina nodded to herself. "Now get going."

"Okay," Henry agreed. "Don't go anywhere!" his voice sounded further away than before, signifying his retreat.

"As if I can," Lina mumbled as she allowed herself to feel pain again. However, she didn't release any cries or tears until she was absolutely positive that Henry was out of earshot. She tried hauling the boulders off of her leg, but every time she moved the rock even a little bit, it resulted in more pain, more agony and more tears. The leg was definitely fractured, maybe even broken.

Bottom line: Lina HAD to get her leg out from under the rock to avoid nerve damage. And the only way that was going to happen was going to have to be painful. Lina knew that unless she did it in that moment, fear would creep into her brain and she'd talk herself out of freeing herself. So with little thought, Lina gathered herself, took a deep breath, and used all her strength and energy to push the boulder off of her leg. She screamed while doing so, pushing herself to the edge of exertion.

The hard work payed off, however. As soon as Lina released herself from the wall of rocks, she let out a happy sigh of relief and collapsed on the floor, trembling and quivering from over worked muscles and pain recognition. It hurt like hell to move her leg, but it felt so much better to be rid of the extra weight atop it. Her leg throbbed, but Lina welcomed the sensation. It meant it still had feeling, giving her hope that she could stand herself up when the time came.

Biting her bottom lip, Lina drug her body to the mine wall that her discarded flashlight was leaning against and sat herself upright against the wall. She reached for the flashlight and inspected the damage done to her leg.

There weren't any bones poking out where they weren't supposed to. There wasn't that much blood, period. Lina just had a few nicks and cuts that had torn through her jeans. However, when she prodded at her leg with two fingers, she winced. She was going to be in need of a hospital visit.

Resolving to the fact that she was stuck, trapped and alone, Lina leaned her head against the wall and focused on breathing. Breathing and relaxing (as if it was possible).

She drew pictures out of the cracks in the ceiling to pass time. She searched the room with her flashlight. She held a lookout for the green beam of light. She even wrapped her leg with her jacket to stop the minor bleeding and hold everything in place. It left Lina cold in the damp, drafty mine, but her body could handle the numbness if it meant her leg would heal properly.

She didn't know how long she'd been sitting there. It felt like hours, but in reality it must have only been minutes. Lina was drifting off into exhausted sleep when she heard a chorus of yelling and arguing approaching the rock wall from the other side.

"Henry!" a male's voice was yelling. "Henry, slow down!"

"Lina!" Henry yelled from a closer location than the male's voice. Lina's head perked up at the sound of her brother's voice. "Lina, I'm back! Archie's with me!"

"Henry!" Lina called, refraining from easing her way closer to the wall separating her from her brother and his therapist. "Henry, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he reassured. "Are YOU okay?"

"I'm hanging in there," Lina responded, wiping some sweat from her brow.

"Angelina? You're down here too?" the male voice spoke up. Archie. "Henry, Lina is trapped down here?!" he asked frantically and angrily.

"It's nice to hear your voice too, Dr. Hopper," Lina called through the wall, attempting to diffuse his frustration. It didn't work.

"Henry, do you realize that your fantasies are now putting others in danger?" he chastised.

"HEY!" Lina snapped. "I was here on my own accord, thank you! Henry didn't put me up to anything. I was already here when Henry arrived," she clarified.

"And besides," Henry spoke up. "Lina saw something! She followed a green-"

"Okay, kid," Lina interrupted quickly before Archie could catch on and interrogate. "Let's talk about that later." Lina sighed heavily and dramatically. "But, really Henry?" she continued. "I tell you to go get help and the first thing that comes to your mind is to bring Archie? I mean, no offense, but..."

"No! It's not like that-" Henry protested.

"We're trapped underground in an abandoned mine!" Archie exclaimed. "And there is no way out!"

"What?" Lina furrowed her brows. "But, Henry and I came through the front entrance."

"That's now blocked," Archie finished. "We're caved in. And we need to find a way out."

"Well, in case you haven't noticed, I'm not going anywhere," Lina retorted. "So you and Henry go find a way out and send Graham and an ambulance to come 'extract' me."

"By the way," Lina added before either Archie or Henry could protest. "Does anyone know we're down here?"

There was a pause before someone answered.

"Emma knows," Archie said sullenly. "So I assume the whole town has word. However," he sighed regrettably, "we were under no assumptions that you had followed Henry's footsteps so..."

"No one knows I'm stuck down here," Lina concluded. "Nice."

"Yeah..." she heard Archie's soft reply.

"Alright," Lina spoke, nodding her head to clear her thoughts. "My fate rests in your hands," she half joked. "Find a way out then come back to get me. I'll survive until then."

"I don't know if I like that," Archie commented nervously.

"But what other choice do you have?" Lina sighed. "It's okay," she reassured. "I'll be fine. Take care of Henry."

"And, Henry?" she added.

"Yes?" his small, eager reply came.

"Don't run off and do anything stupid."

"Right." Lina could sense him nodding in agreement. "Hang in there, Lina."

And all Lina could do was wait.

* * *

_Daniel hadn't been there when Angelina had awoken. Angelina was willing to dismiss the whole encounter as a figment of her desperate imagination, if not for the musky scent that lingered about where she lay. Daniel's scent. Her bedside still had a slight indentation, indicating that someone had once sat along side her. Daniel. Daniel had visited her, and it was Daniel who was watching over her, perhaps at this very moment._

_Angelina raised herself upright and wiped some hair away from her face, squinting into the moonlight's illumination that cascaded over the marble flooring of her room. It was still dark outside, presumably still the middle of the night. Angelina sighed and got up from her bed, gliding slowly to the door. All she longed for in that moment was to walk about the castle grounds to clear her head. Yes, she realized that the guards that stood at her door and escorted her around every waking minute of the day were obligated to accompany her, but Angelina didn't care. Ever since her confrontational dinner with the dark queen, Angelina had guards keeping her from doing anything threatening 24/7. Angelina had grown used to their presence after a while, but she still didn't appreciate the oppressive feeling she got as they watched her every move, ready to strike her down in a confrontation._

_Retrieving her robe and wrapping it securely around her body in comfort, Angelina slowly cracked the door open to alert the guards she was coming, then proceeded to open the door. To her surprise, no one was on watch. There were no guards in sight down either side of the hall._

_"Strange," Angelina murmured to herself. Although she thought their absence odd, Angelina wasn't about to pass up an opportunity of momentary freedom. She quickly and quietly slipped out of her room and closed the door behind her, then made her way down the hall at a steady pace._

_She traveled about the castle, winding her way through the many halls of the palace. Despite all the scenery and mirrors she passed, her thoughts were only on one thing. Daniel. But mostly about what he'd said in regards to Regina. He still, even in death, loved her dearly. It was a curious thing, but at the same time not curious at all. It made sense, but at the same time made no sense at all. Angelina still felt like she was missing something. Something big._

_"Angelina?" a seductive voice spoke from behind her. Angelina paused in her step and slowly turned to meet the eyes of the Evil Queen herself, no more than a few yards behind her. "What on earth are you doing up at this time of night?" she demanded an answer with a hint of playfulness._

_That's one thing Angelina would never understand. How the queen made it seem so easy to both belittle the knowledge and confidence to whom she spoke while teasing them and drawing them in to her insanity at the same time. It was very hypnotizing yet frightening._

_"I could ask you the same thing, your majesty," Angelina replied indignantly._

_"This is my fortress, dear. I do as I please," the dark queen quipped with an amused smirk while walking closer to Angelina._

_"Well this is my home too now; Is it not?" Angelina retorted with a dark glare that flared to life within her eyes._

_The Queen's smirk deepened at Angelina's remark._

_"Indeed," she agreed. Regina studied the girl in front of her pensively for a few moments, her head slightly tilted as if in deep thought. The expression she wore was unnerving. She reached up and twirled a piece of Angelina's long hair around her finger as she thought. Angelina flinched under her touch but didn't back away or speak, waiting for the Queen Regina to say something._

_"Come," the dark queen finally said, letting her hand fall back in place by her side. "I have something for you." The queen then turned on her heels and proceeded to turn the corner. She never looked back, fully expecting for Angelina to obey her command. Angelina briefly thought of turning the other way and running back to her own chambers. However, as it always went, her curiosity got the better of her and she resolved to chasing after the queen to see what was in store._

_Angelina made sure to stay a few steps behind Regina at all times. The queen never looked back, never acknowledging that Angelina was following her. Again, even while following the woman she hated, Angelina's thoughts drifted to her encounter with Daniel. It brought a warm smile to her lips, but hurt just as bitterly as it reminded her of the lack of time Angelina had with her brother. The exchange she'd been given that night had been just enough to begin mending an aching hole in her heart._

_"You're rather quiet this evening," Regina commented suddenly, not even glancing back._

_Angelina shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Just feeling reflective, I suppose," she tried to brush it off. The dark queen turned her head back halfway and glanced at Angelina from the corner of her eyes. Angelina hoped Regina wouldn't push the subject, and breathed an inaudible sigh of relief when the queen turned her attention back to what lay in front of her._

_After a few more minutes of walking through the castle, the Evil Queen stopped in front of a large set of wooden doors that spanned out over an entire wall and reached almost the height of the ceiling. Angelina watched curiously as Regina opened the doors with merely a wave of her hand._

_Angelina followed, much less enthusiastically than before, when the queen continued forth. Angelina had never ventured to this side of the castle before. For the wing she'd followed the queen into was the Evil Queen's very own chambers._

_Angelina immediately took notice of the darker yet more elaborate decor dressing the rooms and halls she was lead through. It was beautiful, haunting and sad all at the same time._

_"You seemed intrigued, my dear." Angelina turned to see the queen studying her every move. Angelina hadn't noticed that they had stopped walking. She had been caught admiring the queen's quarters. Lina eyed her up and down, then settled her gaze back on the room._

_"It's beautiful here," Angelina admitted sheepishly._

_"I'm glad you think so," the queen smirked wickedly._

_Angelina froze in her tracks. Had that not been the exact words she'd spoken to Daniel in reference to the agreement that Regina needed to claim her love for Daniel in order for Lina to remain in the castle. Which brought her to the issue at hand. She needed to figure out if the dark queen had once loved Daniel. This thought brought her much distress._

_Regina watched as Angelina stiffened, her thoughts consuming her. The queen knew that look. The look that said you have lost everything. Nothing will ever be the same. The look that screamed for someone to save her. Distress. Doubt. Despair. Resignation. Realization. Remorse. Before Regina could open her mouth to prod the young girl, Angelina beat her to it._

_"You said you had something to show me?"_

_"Something for you, dear," the queen corrected. "Very big difference." The queen then proceeded to walk towards a large, intricate vanity. She pulled open one of the drawers and retrieved an amulet from its contents._

_"It just so happens that I was rummaging through some old trinkets and jewelry," the dark queen informed, making her way back to Angelina's position. "I thought this suited you." She presented the amulet to Angelina with pride._

_Angelina admired the amulet with interest. It was jade envy green, had no major detailing, but was wrapped up in a silver chain. She looked to the queen in surprise, and didn't make any move to take it. It was too beautiful to accept._

_"It was mine when I was younger," the queen explained awkwardly._

_"It's beautiful," Angelina said, finally finding her voice. She reached out tentatively to take it. "Thank you." She held it tenderly in her hands, afraid it might shatter. Regina watched as the young girl ran her fingers over the smooth edges, transfixed by its beauty._

_"Did you..." Angelina stopped herself from continuing. The queen inclined her head towards the young girl. "Did you call your minions off of guarding me?" she decided to go for it._

_Regina pursed her lips before answering. "Yes; I did."_

_"Why?"_

_Regina took a deep breath before speaking. Why couldn't the girl leave the subject as was? Regina had already been kind enough to call the guards off her. "I know what it's like to feel trapped. These castle walls can be overbearing, and I don't want you to feel uncomfortable."_

_Angelina nodded slowly, accepting the answer, even if not completely buying it. "I appreciate the sentiment," Angelina said sincerely, with sad eyes. Regina was genuinely shocked at Angelina's lack of abrasiveness. She had been fully expecting a witty battle of bantering, yet none came._

_"What troubles you, dear?" she asked with a concerned frown._

_"Nothing, your majesty," Angelina shook her head, keeping her gaze on the amulet in her palm. "I'll just be on my way," the young girl turned her back on the queen and began to leave the room, one step at a time."_

_"Wait," the queen commanded frustratingly, waving her hand to bind Angelina from taking another step. The girl was instantly immobile, enveloped in the bright blue bindings of magic. Regina repressed a shiver at remembering how her mother had used to do the exact same thing to her. She twirled her wrist to turn the girl around to face her. "Come here," she beckoned Angelina with her finger as if she had a choice. Angelina glared but held her tongue as she was brought forth, being pulled against her will._

_"Now," the dark queen drawled, putting one arm around Angelina and waving the other to release the girl from the magical binds. "Tell me what is the matter."_

_Angelina narrowed her eyes. What was this woman playing at? Why did she care? "Nothing," Angelina insisted, attempting to shrug the queen off her shoulder._

_However, the Evil Queen stopped the girl by grabbing Angelina's shoulder with claws that dug into her skin. "Do not try me, child. I know when one is lying to me," she threatened coyly._

_"Why do you care so much?" Angelina huffed._

_"You are my responsibility, are you not?" the queen cocked her head in amusement._

_Angelina was not about to speak of her encounter with Daniel. It was the last thing she was willing to do. However, as much as she wanted to keep her lips sealed, she had keep her promise to Daniel under the one condition they agreed on._

_Angelina sighed in resignation and looked up to Regina's expectant chocolate eyes. "Did... Did..." Angelina rolled her eyes with a frustrated sigh._

_"Go on, dear," the queen encouraged with much more delicacy than before._

_Angelina pressed her lips together and searched Regina's eyes imploringly. "Did you ever, at any point in time, even remotely, love or care for my brother?"_

_Regina stiffened, having not expected that to be the question that was asked. What had driven her to ask such a question. She studied Angelina's expression, eyes betraying her steely exterior. Angelina saw right through her, knowing before she even spoke what the answer would be._

_Regina didn't know why she felt obligated to answer the question. She didn't even know why she was attempting to compose her thoughts. Maybe it was because in some alternate universe, Angelina would have been a sort of sister-in-law to her. Maybe it was because Regina felt an odd sort of protection over the girl. Whatever the reason, Regina found that she could speak nothing but the truth._

_"Yes," she swallowed thickly. "I did." She almost added 'very much' but restrained herself from saying so._

_Angelina's heart dropped and fluttered all in one. She sensed truth in the woman's words and nodded with a small smile. "That's all I needed to know. Goodnight, your majesty."_

_Angelina left the dark queen's side, and this time Regina let her go. She instantly missed the warmth of the girl's body against hers as she reached out after her for the briefest of moments. She watched as Angelina placed the amulet around her neck as she departed._

_There was no turning back now. It had been decided._

* * *

Lina didn't know how long she'd been waiting to be rescued. To her, it seemed an eternity. She'd sat through another few distant rumbles and tremors. She'd tried to call for help on her cell phone in her bag, but, as was always the case in situations where communication was needed, her phone had no reception. At one point, she'd seen that her mom had tried to call...on multiple occasions. Regina was probably freaking out over Henry, oblivious to the fact that Lina too was in the same boat. As Archie had said, no one knew that Lina was in the mine as well. However, Lina hoped it wouldn't be too hard to figure for those above ground. She was starting to freeze but didn't dare alter her homemade leg wrap. Her leg had ceased to throb, and she felt that she could get up and walk on it if need be.

However, currently, her eyelids were fighting the drowsiness of sleep. She knew she should stay awake. What if the rescue party came searching for her and she was unconscious, unable to respond? But Angelina was just so damn tired!

Just when all seemed lost and Angelina was going to surrender to sleep, a faint green glowing shone from the side of the tunnel that wasn't blocked off. It wasn't vivid, but was bright enough to draw attention. It reminded Lina of the green beam of light she and Henry had followed earlier. Lina squinted into the darkness and moved her flashlight over to where the green glowing shone. However, just as the flashlight's beam passed over the green light, the flashlight flickered a few times, and died right then and there.

"Crap," Lina hissed into the darkness. Why did everything have to happen to her? Lina had nothing better to stare at than the green glare. The more she watched it, the more relaxed she felt. The more at ease she was. The more she wanted to move towards it and investigate.

Even though it was almost physically impossible, Lina hauled herself upright, one inch at a time, leaning onto the wall as support. And then, against all odds, she walked. She walked steadily and slowly towards the green light. It was as if Lina was second in command of her body. Something possessed her as she continued forward, while her head was screaming at her to stop. Lina had no control.

Her body kept traveling deeper and deeper into the corridor and further and further away from the wall of boulders, and Lina could do nothing to stop it. The green light began illuminating brighter and brighter as she made her way closer. With time, she finally reached the source of the green illumination. There was a large crack, much like the one she and Henry had discovered, glowing bright green, so bright in the darkness that it was blinding. Lina didn't know what to make of it, so this time, willingly, she reached inside of the crack and felt around for any objects concealed within. What she pulled out shocked her.

Lina held a jade green stone in her hand, attached to a silver chain. It was glowing ridiculously bright, almost as heavily as looking into the sun. Yet, at the same time, Lina was entranced by its beauty. She felt as if she had seen this before, or something very similar to it, but in a distant memory or dream.

And then, it hit her. Lina had seen this amulet before. She was sure of it. She'd seen it in Mr. Gold's pawn shop many years ago when tagging along with Regina so that she could meet Mr. Gold to discuss adopting Henry.

She remembered feeling very drawn to it. She remembered touching the necklace and feeling a spark ignite her upon contact. She had wanted to ask about it, perhaps even take it, but had refrained from doing so. She hadn't seen it since. That only left one question. What was it doing here?

Lina wrapped her hand around the stone, enclosing it in her palm. Just as she did so, the necklace illuminated ten times the brightness it had been flaming mere seconds before. The amulet seemed to fuse to her hand and send pleasurable vibrations throughout her whole body. Lina laughed at the feeling. It made her feel giddy, happy and invincible. She felt like nothing in the world could bring her down. Life and its trials were minuscule to how she felt. The green stone began shooting sparks out from the center, entangling Lina in a whirlwind of green lights. Lina was sure it would look a spectacle to anyone who approached her. But she didn't care. It was a comforting feeling.

And then, suddenly, just like that, Angelina remembered. She remembered the significance of the amulet she held in her hand. She remembered Daniel. She remembered her family. She remembered her life and its distressing contents. She remembered the dark queen and living in her fortress. The dark queen. The Evil Queen. The queen Regina. Regina! Although Angelina retained the memories of living with Regina and Henry for all these years, this was the first time she'd acknowledged Regina for who she really was in this land. She had to go speak see her. Now! She needed to know that it hadn't been Angelina's intention to travel to this new world with her. She was going to stay in the Enchanted Forest until... Until a strange woman had appeared and stolen the staff that was to protect she and whoever was in radius of the staff's protection. A woman named Cora.

Angelina tried to move. She tried to release herself from the hold the green strings and beams of light had on her. But each time she made an attempt to move, the cage that had developed around her sent a wave of painful shocks through the point of her body that touched the edge of the encasement. She tried multiple times, each move more forceful than the last. She even tried to release the amulet from her fist, but she was unable to let go. She lacked strength and will. Yet, she still tried to release herself from the green capsule, even to the point where she was thrashing and pummeling the walls. The shocks grew in intensity, making Angelina convulse in affliction. Angelina needed to get to Regina. She needed to let her know. Cora, the Queen of Hearts, was the reason she hadn't stayed in the Queen's fortress. It wasn't her fault.

Angelina groaned in annoyance. If Regina was in this situation, she would be able to get out of it using her magic. Why couldn't Angelina channel magic to get out of this? Angelina screamed in frustration as she threw her body full force against the wall, visualizing breaking free and Regina merely waving her hands to break a magical cage such as this one.

A sound resembling that of lightening cracking and white light covering the entirety of the mine's corridors ignited within all corners of the mine. After a few seconds, the blinding whiteness subsided, revealing an unconscious Angelina, sprawled out across the floor, dirt and cuts streaking her face.

She was imprisoned no longer. The green lights had long departed. Angelina had broken through the barriers created by the enchantment upon the amulet.

And in her palm it lay, waiting to be reawakened once more.


	6. Chapter 6: The Shepherd

_**A/N: I almost can't handle the Season 3 suspense anymore. I want it NOW! Haha. Fun Fact: Have you ever noticed how Regina always kneels down to Henry's level when speaking to him in a serious conversation? Like she doesn't want him to feel overpowered... It's so beautiful. Anyway; here's the next chapter. I absolutely adore all of your reviews, follows and favorites. I read every single one with a large smile, regardless of the contents. Thank you for supporting this story! It's what pushes me to continue. This one's for you guys! XOXOXO **_

_**Disclaimer: Don't own it. **_

"What?!" Regina gasped, clutching Henry's shoulders while staring into his eyes, a look of sheer horror on her face. Regina looked pleadingly to Archie for confirmation of what she'd just been informed.

"It's true," Archie admitted regrettably.

Regina abruptly stood upright, her anger level rising. Archie sensed Regina's distress and opened his mouth to reassure her, but Regina, now entering full Madame Mayor mode, interrupted.

"Then what are we doing standing here?!" she exclaimed in fury. She ran her fingers through her hair as her mind whirled. Lina was trapped in the underground mine. No wonder she hadn't answered her phone all morning. It pained Regina to know that Lina's life was in danger, and Regina had known nothing about it until this very moment. Regina had failed her daughter. Her son was safe because, she hated to say it, let alone think it, but because of Emma Swan. Now, her daughter was in danger because Regina hadn't put two and two together. Angelina always stood by Henry. She would always protect him. So, she'd gone in with Henry to prevent any harm from coming to him. Emma Swan had saved her son. Now it was her turn to save her daughter.

"I'm going in," Regina resolved with a thorough nod of her head.

Archie, Emma and Sheriff Graham looked to the mayor in shock.

"Great!" Henry piped up. "I'm coming with you."

"No, Henry," Regina instantly snapped. "You need to stay here."

"Then who's going to show you where Lina is?" Henry argued.

"I will," Archie volunteered with no hesitation. "But it's not that simple," Archie continued, to which he received an unsettling glare from the mayor. "She's trapped behind a wall of boulders and rocks," he explained. "It may take a while to break through."

"Then we'll need all the help we can get," Regina resolved with determination. "Sheriff," she addressed  
Graham with an unspoken command.

"On it," Graham nodded as he made his way to inform everyone of the situation.

"What am I supposed to do?" Henry chased after Regina as she stormed off to make arrangements to go in the mine. "I can help!"

Regina stopped with a sympathetic look on her face and kneeled to Henry's level. "I know you could," she agreed, cupping Henry's chin lovingly. "But you just got out. I'm not putting you in danger again."

"So what should I do?" Henry asked again. Regina was about to instruct him to go home when Emma Swan interrupted.

"I'll take care of him," she offered, challenging Regina to argue by jutting her chin out.

Regina almost barked back a no. She almost got into an argument over how Miss Swan was needed to extract Lina from the mine. Almost.

"I'll keep him out of trouble," Emma continued sincerely, almost pleadingly. "He'll be safe with me."

Regina wanted to roll her eyes and sneer at the notion. Oh, how she wanted to shoot this idea down. But, there were more important things to deal with. So, crossing her arms and clearing her throat, Regina merely nodded.

"Very well, Miss Swan."

Henry's beaming smile didn't help matters. Regina barely repressed a hurt expression as Henry leaped over to Emma as she grabbed his hand with a smile of her own. No thank you's or acknowledgements were given to the mayor. But Henry did have the decency to glance back at his adoptive mom and send some words of encouragement.

"Bring Lina home safe," was all he said before continuing on.

Her son's words brought a small smile to Regina's lips. Yet still, she watched as her son and his birth mother practically skipped, hand in hand away from the mine collapse. Away from the chaos.

Closing her eyes, Regina allowed a sigh to escape her lips before pushing all thoughts of self-pity from her mind. She had a daughter to save.

* * *

As soon as there was even a slither of an opening through the rocks and boulders blocking all from Lina, Regina shoved her way through the many ranks of Storybrooke's inhabitants and forced herself through the opening to the other side.

They'd been at it for hours. It was well into the night, and word had spread quickly all throughout the town of Lina's current situation. Word had also spread of Regina's distress, and how the usual cold-hearted mayor was doing anything and everything to save her adopted daughter. The events unfolding in the mines proved to be the talk of the town. Many had turned up at the site of the mine collapse, offering their assistance in extracting the mayor's daughter. Complete strangers, most of them. Their help was accepted most gratefully.

It had taken a long time to navigate and lower those who had agreed to venture into the depths of the mine down. Regina, naturally, had been the first one to descend. Followed by Archie, then Graham, etc, etc. Once Archie had notified the following of where Lina was, Regina had called out the girl's name, begging her to answer. When no response came, immediate action was taken to haul the rocks and boulders away to make an opening. Even Regina had partaken in the labor, willing to get down and dirty to save her daughter.

Now, after grueling hours of extraneous work, they had finally gotten through. And all be damned if Regina wasn't the first one to push herself through the opening.

Regina treaded down the dark path, shining a flashlight across the corridor, calling out for Angelina. Her heart thudded against her chest and her breaths shortened as her overactive imagination assumed the worst scenarios. Each step she took echoed off the walls, making the tunnel seem larger and longer than it actually was. As if Regina had no control over what transpired in the mine.

"Angelina!" she called once more, desperately, longingly. And then, emerging from the darkness was the silhouette of a body sprawled haphazardly across the floor.

Regina sprung into action and dropped to her knees beside the lifeless form, not caring that her expensive clothing was accumulating more dirt and dust than it already had. Regina shined the flashlight over the body and found that it was indeed Angelina. Her jacket was wrapped around her calf, which had blood seeping slowly but surely through the material and creating a pool on the floor. Lina had scratches across her face, and her lips were tinted blue from overexposure to the brutal coldness of the drafts in the mine. Regina pressed her lips together and brought two fingers to Lina's jawline, checking for a pulse.

For a heart wrenching moment, she thought that she felt none, but the faint feeling of blood pulsing through Lina's jugular reassured Regina that the girl was still alive. The mayor released a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding and turned her head around to yell down the corridor.

"Somebody come down here and help me!"

She heard voices and scrambling approaching, so she left it at that and returned her attention to her daughter. But something caught her eye.

A silver chain dangled out of Lina's clutched fist. Regina gently plucked Lina's hand open to reveal a jade green amulet.

Regina stiffened at the sight of it. She remembered this accessory quite well. It was the exact necklace she'd given to Angelina on the night that it seemed she'd lost her fight. Lost that indignant spark in her that made Angelina intriguing. Then again, that spark had returned less malevolent than before not long after the encounter. When Angelina discovered the true intentions of the queen by wearing the necklace...

Shouting and clambering behind Regina broke her from her daze. Snapping back to reality, the mayor snatched the necklace from Lina's palm and slipped it into her pocket just as the calvary approached.

The arrival of help eased Regina's fears of Lina's safety. Lina would be fine. She had to be.

* * *

_Regina strutted towards the outer skirts of her castle grounds. One of her knights had just informed her of Angelina's attempted escape. However, Regina knew that the girl's efforts would be short-lived. After all, the purpose of the necklace that she had given the girl was to keep her from fleeing._

_The dark queen had cast a spell on the necklace to keep Angelina within the grounds of the castle at all times. If she ever tried to escape, she would be stopped by the enchantment._

_Regina could feel the magic pulsing in the air before her eyes ever reached the magical cage that was bound to ensnare Angelina in its confines. The magic intensified and solidified every few seconds, as if trying to strengthen it's hold on the condemned trapped within . Regina resisted the urge to roll her eyes and sneer. Angelina was challenging the binds, undoubtably bringing unnecessary, self-induced harm to herself. Clearing the final few steps of the patch of greenery at the back-end of the castle, Regina rounded the corner to have all her suspicions confirmed._

_Angelina was trapped in a cage made by magic that emerged from the jade green amulet she'd given the girl. Angelina did all she could to break the chain from her neck while running into the cage full force in attempts to emerge from it. It was all for naught._

_"Going somewhere?" Regina chuckled darkly as she emerged from behind a thicket of trees._

_Angelina whipped around to meet the queen's gaze. Her eyes flashed with fury, her hair wild and tangled while her cheeks flushed in wrath. Her face already had a few cuts and faint bruises from the backlash of the cage's defense mechanisms. Angelina was doing all she could to keep herself from lashing out._

_"Well?" Regina prodded for an explanation._

_With a look of pure disgust, Angelina threw herself against the cage wall once more in response. The edges sent electric shocks all throughout her body and she gritted her teeth against the pain._

_Regina watched the girl's brows crinkle in agony in slight pity. "Did it ever occur to you that the more you resist, the more damage you do to yourself?" she asked patronizingly._

_Angelina couldn't hold it in anymore, "What the hell is this?!" she snarled, gesturing to the necklace and the cage all at the same time._

_"I'm not sure I approve of your tone," Regina's eyes narrowed._

_"You're unbelievable!" Angelina scoffed in response. "I don't know why I actually thought you were being accommodating and nice when you gave this to me. I should've known there was something wrong when you suddenly gave me privileges to roam the castle without an entourage. I should've known there was an ulterior motive behind this...this..." She couldn't even finish her thought, she was so consumed in rage._

_"This," Regina gestured towards the cage, "wouldn't be a problem if you stayed within the castle grounds." She slowly made her way closer to Angelina. "If you didn't bite the hand that feeds you." She leaned in close to Angelina, staying clear of the magic induced bars. "If you didn't try and run away," she sneered._

_"I wasn't trying to run away," Angelina snapped._

_"Oh really?" Regina quipped, bemused. "Then what, may I ask, were you doing?"_

_Angelina smirked. "Hunting," she answered simply, bending down to pick up her bow and arrows._

_Regina eyed Angelina curiously, quite taken aback by her answer. "Why?"_

_Angelina looked wistful before answering. Reminiscent. "It's just..." she sighed. "The Enchanted Forest is my home, really." Angelina turned her back on the queen to stare at the horizon of trees and sky, blending seamlessly together for miles and miles. "It's all I knew for a long time. It makes me feel safe, calm, peaceful, free..." The girl's head lowered significantly, and she stroked the blazing green amulet around her neck woefully. "Although I suppose freedom is not a luxury I have anymore."_

_Angelina looked back to the dark queen, suddenly looking broken and lost. She seemed to be struggling with an internal battle. But of what Regina had no idea._

_"Take the enchantment down. I'll go back," Angelina finally resolved._

_Regina eyed the girl in perplexion. Then, warily, she waved her hand over the cage and it dissipated into the air. Regina watched Angelina sigh at being magically released of tension and the feeling of being enclosed. She nodded her thanks to the queen and started to make her way back to the castle without any complaints, any snark, nor any flippant comments. Regina shook her head in disbelief. Where was Angelina's fire?_

_"You aren't even going to fight back?" Regina shot at the girl skeptically, taking long strides to catch up with her._

_"I'm trying to learn my place, your majesty," Angelina responded, eyes fixed ahead._

_"And when has that become a concern to you?" Regina implored._

_Angelina stopped suddenly in her movement and looked pensive for a few moments. "I have no idea," she answered honestly. "It just seems about time for me to apply myself in the ways of social order," Angelina nodded her head in jurisdiction, as if trying to convince herself of what she was saying._

_"I'm sorry; what?!" Regina raised her eyebrows in disbelief._

_Angelina growled frustratedly. She whipped her head around to face the queen, her blue eyes faintly blazing in conflict of an internal battle._

_"Look," she spoke sternly. "A few moments ago, I was furious with you for cursing me with this thing." Angelina pulled at the necklace for good measure. "And I still am. But tell me this, your majesty; what good has my combativeness done? What good is it constantly battling you with words? Other than for entertainment on your part? This isn't easy for me. Being here in your presence at this very moment is as painful as plunging a dagger into my heart. I hate feeling inferior to people. I hate feeling like the weak link. However, around you, that's all I feel. Maybe that's all I am. At this point, I really could care less. All I know, your majesty, is that you are the queen, and I am a commoner. Who am I to challenge you?"_

_Regina had nothing to say to that. She should've been furious with the girl, but she couldn't find the motivation to do so. All she felt was her heart aching for Angelina. And she had no idea why._

_"I'm sorry," Angelina bit her lip, taking Regina's silence as indication to her outrage. "I shouldn't have spoken so freely." She smiled feebly and shrugged ever so slightly. "I suppose that's yet another thing I need to work on. Excuse me."_

_And the Evil Queen watched the stable boy's sister track back to the castle, while the pair both showed qualities very unlike the combative, calculating women they had molded into over time._

* * *

Henry stood alongside his mom, feeling uncomfortable to speak in her presence. Pressing his lips together, he glanced upwards at Regina with a pleading look in his eye. He didn't have to speak for Regina to understand his request.

"I'll wait outside," she agreed, running her fingers through Henry's bangs with a sad, sympathetic smile.

Henry smiled gratefully as his adoptive mother departed the room, cracking the door behind her. Henry, suddenly feeling cold and empty, crept his way to Lina's bedside and inspected her lifeless form.

The heart monitor tracked Lina's heartbeat, reassuring that she was indeed alive, but if it weren't for the consistent beeping of the monitor, Henry would have thought her dead. Lina was in a coma. It had been that way ever since she'd been extracted from the mine. Henry placed his hand over Lina's lovingly. She had tubes running into her mouth and IVs feeding nutrients and minerals to her body.

Henry remembered when his mom had delivered the news of Angelina's status, kneeling on the ground at his level. At this angle, it had been easy to detect her grief. It was the first time he'd seen her truly sorrowful in a long time.

"This is my fault," Henry had said in bitter realization.

"No," his mom's forehead had wrinkled in heartache. "You can't blame yourself, Henry. This wasn't your fault." Regina's reassuring smile had been watery and unstable, as if she was a dam, ready to crack at any moment. Henry sensed real weakness in his mother. He couldn't remember the last time she'd been this nice to him.

"Is she going to be alright?"

Regina's expression had crumpled even further. She'd cupped the side of his face and tilted her head. Henry saw the way she'd debated with herself on whether or not to tell Henry the truth. Sighing in resolve, she'd said,

"Only time will tell, sweetheart."

And that had been it. Henry had spontaneously thrown himself into her arms, feeling the full responsibility of his actions weigh on his shoulders. This was his fault. If only he'd listened to Lina when she'd suggested they turn back... Henry had sensed Regina's surprise at the embrace, but she recovered from the shock quickly and wrapped her arms around him, rocking him back and forth as he sobbed.

Henry shook himself from the memory and trained his attention on Lina. Never once pulling his gaze from his sister, he slid his book of fairytales out of his backpack and set it on the bedside table.

"Hey, Lina," he spoke. "I'm back." He paused for a few moments, tracing the binding of the book before continuing.

"I keep thinking that if I read to you out of this book, you'll wake up like David Nolan. But the problem is, I don't know which story in the book is yours. I don't even know if your story is in the book. But, I think..." He tapped his fingers on the cover of the book. "I think it's important now more than ever for Emma to break the curse. If she does, you'll wake up.

"I still don't understand how you went into a coma. You were fine when I left. But whatever it was that knocked you out... It had to be pretty big. I keep wondering if that green light had anything to do with it, but you can't really answer that question right now..."

Henry paused to process his thoughts and figure what more he wanted to tell Lina.

"It's weird without you around," he admitted. "Mom and I hardly talk. We visit you a lot, before and after school. Emma brings me here when Mom's working. Emma and Mom still don't get along, so I still have to sneak around to see her. It's harder for me to do without your help, but I manage. Actually, we're about to go to David Nolan's homecoming party, and Emma said she should be there. So that's good...

"But I still don't want to go. Mom says its a courtesy thing and that we have to go because she's the mayor and was David's emergency contact, but I feel weird just leaving you here while we celebrate."

"Henry," Regina peeked her head through the door to get her son's attention. Her heart wrenched at the sight him sitting alongside Angelina on the edge of the hospital bed. "We need to go," she informed him regrettably.

"Just one more minute?" Henry pleaded.

Regina hesitated, but ultimately sighed and agreed, "Only one more," then bowed out of the room.

Henry waited until he was positive his mother wasn't eavesdropping before opening his backpack and pulling out a black leather bound book.

"I...uh... I brought you your sketchbook," he informed sheepishly. "You haven't used it in a long time, but I remember you were pretty good." Henry flipped idly through a few pages of the book. "Really good actually," he corrected himself. He slammed the book shut and sighed. "So I was thinking," he mused, "maybe these will jog your memory. You could have drawings in here of the Enchanted Forest or of something from your fairytale life. Maybe this being with you will help you wake up," he spoke hopefully.

"If not," Henry said, "at least you'll have something to do when you wake up. I'll even leave you a pencil in case no one's here." And so Henry did as was promised, and left a good graphite pencil on top of the sketchbook on the bedside table.

"I gotta go now," Henry frowned. "But I'll be back; I promise."

He gazed at Lina one last time before trudging out of the room, hauling his fairytale book along with him.

* * *

The next day went by just as excruciatingly slow as the previous. The house was so quiet and empty without Lina's presence. Without her sarcasm and comedic input to ease tension, stress and anxiety. Breakfast was a quiet affair. Neither Regina nor Henry were willing to discuss the elephant in the closet. Regina knew Henry was suffering without his sister. He was suffering just as much, if not worse than she was.

At the very least, Lina's absence encouraged Henry's accusations and hostility to subside. The fairytales hadn't been mentioned, and Henry had stopped jumping at any chance to snub his mother. Not to say that his meetings with Emma Swan had ceased. Regina wasn't stupid. She knew he was finding ways to meet his birth mother behind her back. However, as long as he didn't mention her, the issue need not be addressed in Regina's book. She had more important things to worry about.

Instead of walking Henry to the bus stop as she normally did in the mornings, she had taken to driving Henry to the hospital to visit Lina before a laboring day at school. Regina wouldn't have done it if Henry hadn't insisted on it. In fact, Regina dreaded walking into the hospital. It reminded her of her failure to protect the one person who'd ever given a care in the world for her. And so, Regina avoided going into Angelina's hospital room at all costs. She peeked in to check on Henry every now and again, but couldn't bring herself to look at her adopted daughter.

"Mom?" Henry spoke up as Regina drove him to school after their daily morning visit.

"Yes, dear?"

"Do you think Lina can hear when I talk to her?" he questioned.

The question took Regina by surprise. This was the most Henry had spoken to her since the accident.

"I'm not sure," she spoke honestly. "Why do you ask?"

"Miss Margret said she could," Henry explained.

Regina sneered at the mention of Snow's curse name. She and David had been canoodling in what they believed to be secret, and obviously, Regina wasn't happy about it.

"And is everything Miss Margret says now considered fact?" Regina rebutted venomously.

"No," Henry frowned. "But she told me she once read a book that said patients in comas are aware of everything that goes on around them. So they can hear you when you talk to them." Henry watched his mother's posture and reaction. She gave little away to her emotions, but he could tell that the topic gave her much discomfort.

"Then perhaps she can, dear," Regina managed to force out as she pulled up to the front of the school. "Now, have a good day. I love you."

Regina didn't know why she expected an answer. Maybe it was because this was the first real conversation she'd held with her son in a long time. Whatever the reason, Regina was disappointed when Henry didn't answer back with an 'I love you too.' But she did get a small smile instead. And that was enough to make her spirits soar. She watched pensively until Henry disappeared from sight into the building. Then, she drove on to her office, thoughts never far from Lina.

It was when she was filing through paperwork hours later that she found herself unable to concentrate. She couldn't get the conversation she'd had with Henry out of her mind.

_"Do you think Lina can hear me when I talk to her?... Patients in comas are aware of what's going on around them. So they can hear when you talk to them."_

What had her son been implying? Why had that been such a pressing concern? Then he had lightly smiled at her with a knowing look. Had Henry in his own way been suggesting that Regina visit Lina? And speak to her like she was conscious?

Whatever Henry's intentions were by the comments, the idea was lodged in Regina's head. She needed to see her daughter. Really see her. Not just glance at her lifeless form and ignore the possibility of her death.

Regina snatched her purse and left without a second thought.

* * *

_Regina wasn't even given the chance to fully open the door before Lina rushed in, flustered and in a rage._

_"I swear! People in this town are so clueless and daft!"_

_However, it wasn't Lina's words that Regina took notice of initially, but what she had carried in to the house._

_"What's all this?" she questioned, gesturing to the paper bags Lina had hauled in._

_"Oh," Lina smiled through an opening in the bags. "I forgot to tell you. I'm making dinner. Kitchen's this way, right?"_

_She didn't even wait for an answer before making her way to the back._  
_Regina chased after her._

_"You know that's not necessary," Regina protested._

_"Oh, yes it is," Lina spoke with no room for argument. "You've let me barge in every night for the past week, asking for nothing in return."_

_"Because I don't expect anything in return!" Regina laughed._

_"Well, that's not right. I'm making dinner." Lina set the bags down firmly on the countertop. "End of story."_

_"And what exactly are you planning on cooking?" Regina asked, inspecting the ingredients within the bags skeptically._

_"Ah, ah!" Lina chastised, gently slapping Regina's hands away from the bags, to which she received a raised eyebrow._

_"What?" Lina shrugged. "It's a surprise."_

_Regina frowned, but complied to Lina's wishes. Why was it that Lina was so energetic and playful in this world, when in the Enchanted Forest she'd been stand off- ish and hostile? It was a whole new side to Angelina that the former queen had not yet experienced._

_"So what were you saying about Storybrooke's inhabitants?" Regina asked curiously._

_"What?" Lina responded, confused._

_"As I recall, you accused them of being...clueless and daft?"_

_"Oh, that," Lina chuckled. "Well, they are. They have this simplistic mind-set. It's like it's impossible for them to look at the big picture." She looked to Regina sheepishly. "Surely you understand what I'm talking about."_

_"Indeed I do," Regina assured. "But what brought you to this conclusion?"_

_Lina paused. "I really don't know," she admitted. "Watching them in the supermarket today brought it all on."_

_"How so?"_

_"It's like they're all on autopilot," Lina described. "They do the same things, over and over, day after day. It's... Quite disturbing."_

_Regina repressed a shiver at the truth to her words. It scared her that even in her cursed form, Angelina still had an underlying memory of what was really going on in Storybrooke. She hinted at it often, but hadn't given any indication that she remembered the Enchanted Forest._

_"And what about me?" Regina pressed. "Do I live my life on autopilot?"_

_Lina thought about it for a second. "Truthfully? To an extent; yes. Now, don't get me wrong. You don't walk around with the ignorance they do. Plus, you're the mayor, which means you have different duties to uphold day to day... but..." Lina sighed._

_"There's something really off about this town," she said. "I can't quite put my finger on it, but..." Lina cowered under Regina's thoughtful stare. "Maybe I'm over thinking it," she finally concluded to diffuse any confusion or suspicion._

_"Or maybe everyone else under thinks it," Regina countered kindly._

_The corners of Lina's mouth turned upwards slightly. She then licked her lips and bash fully peeked at Regina from underneath her eyelashes._

_"I hate to ask, seeing as this is your kitchen, but can you find something to occupy your time while I cook?"_

_Regina pursed her lips. "What do you suggest I do?" she drawled silkily._

_"You're the mayor," Lina drawled just as easily. "I'm sure you can think of something to busy yourself with."_

_Regina narrowed her eyes with a smirk playing across her features. "As you wish," she agreed._

_Lina paused._

_Something about that phrase sounded familiar. However, she was able to suppress any further thought from progressing before Regina acknowledged her sudden tension. Lina had a dinner to cook. And she had to make a good impression with the strict yet undetectably soft mayor of Storybrooke._

Regina remembered that day very well. It was the day that she decided she was going to ask Lina to live with her...again. Except this time, it had been different. This Angelina had no reason to hate her, and this Angelina was more open, flippant and exuberant than her fairytale counterpart. This Angelina was much better company, and quite honestly, Regina liked Lina better. Angelina had been too... introspective and capricious, even up until the last months they spent together in the castle, which were considerably less volatile than before.

Regina almost couldn't believe that the same lively girl that had helped her raise Henry was lying before her in a lifeless heap, tubes and needles running all throughout her body to sustain her life.

Regina slowly approached the girl's bedside, one excruciating step at a time, until she was up against the railing of the bed. If Regina didn't know any better, she would have thought Lina was under a sleeping curse. Even immobile and unresponsive, Lina had this flare to her that was rare and unexplainable. Regina pushed a strand of hair away from the girl's mouth, then sat down in the bedside chair.

Regina vaguely wondered if the amulet she'd taken out of Lina's hand had anything to do with her being subdued, but quickly dismissed it. That necklace operated on magic and solely magic alone. This world didn't have magic, so that was out of the question. Then again, Dr. Whale had no plausible diagnosis as to why Lina was in a coma. His best guess had been that she'd hit her head. But the cat scans and MRIs had proven she had no brain damage or concussions.

Suddenly feeling overwhelmed by the unknown, Regina shuddered and instantly reached out to grab her daughter's hand. It was icy to the touch, but that didn't stop Regina from clinging onto it tightly.

Nothing was said for many moments. Regina's eyes watered with unshed tears, and her jaw tensed as she choked back sobs.

_"...patients in comas are aware of everything that goes on around them. So they can hear you when you talk to them.."_ Henry's voice spoke to Regina.

She closed her eyes and released a quivering breath, but composed herself promptly.

"I'm sorry," she finally managed to get out weakly. "I wasn't there for you when you needed me most."

Regina paused and began rubbing circles onto the back of Lina's hand with her thumb before continuing.

"It's been different without you around," she admitted. "Henry is distraught. And I...

"Let's just say when you grow accustomed to something, when it becomes part of your everyday life, you notice when it suddenly vanishes." Regina smiled sadly at Lina's unresponsive form. "I won't deny that I miss you. I won't deny that I feel responsible for what's happened." Regina was careful not to hint at the Enchanted Forest or anything with relevance to their past lives in case Lina could actually hear her.

"I miss you," Regina whispered. "WE miss you," she corrected by including Henry. "So, please. If there's any fight left in you like I know there is, use it to get through this and come home," Regina pleaded.

She stood, feeling like she'd said all that needed to be said and traced Lina's jaw line with her fingertips. "I love you," she added, then turned away to depart.

She was going to leave. Really, she was. But a black leather bound notebook on the bedside table caught her attention. Regina didn't recall this being there the last time she was in the room. Curious, she flipped through the book's contents. What she saw blew her away.

It was a sketchbook filled with drawings of places and things the former queen hadn't seen in a long time.

The hallways and corridors of her castle. Forestry and scenes from the balconies of her fortress. Her garden, stables and clothing. Horses, knights and armor. All remnants of a life once lived. All signed by Lina's hand.

Lina had drawn these things while here in Storybrooke. This confirmed every thought Regina had ever had about Lina's knowledge of the curse. Somewhere deep within her, Lina knew Storybrooke wasn't real. She knew of her origins and past relations with Regina. Maybe not directly, but the knowledge was still there.

Regina turned the last page, entranced by the girl's handiwork, and audibly gasped.

There before her eyes was a hauntingly accurate depiction of Daniel, teaching a very young Angelina how to shoot a bow and arrow.


End file.
